up to date Sunday #5

Changed my header! This is a bigger, b/w version. Same location as my previous header picture, which you can see here. 

current song: Calvin Harris feat. Example - We'll Be Coming Back (What does this have to do with the season/new year? Nothing really.)

current thoughts: Aaaaaah have to get my schedule down before the new year! There are things that need to be done! Ever since I really figured out that I need to be doing something (hopefully productive) to feel like I've spent my time well it's been really helpful. I don't really want to do the dishes, but if at 4 PM I can give myself a list of what I've done so far that day I'll feel so much better. (Especially if dishes is one of those things!)

current plan: Figure out how to dispose of our Christmas tree. Jack has never had one in this apartment building, and we haven't seen any others in parking lot/dumpster area. Make our apartment neater and prettier. Later we are going out with some friends who have had a hard time this holiday season. This was originally supposed to happen last night, but then we got quite a bit of snow all at once!

current workout: Still on Tara Stiles Slim Calm Sexy Yoga. I've just been leaving my mat out, and will hang out for a while and watch TV and go through the book. Think I overstretched a few days ago though, so I've been taking it easy. I love working out with a book, which I really haven't done before (video all the way!) but I like that there is no one rushing me out of the one pose I really really like!

current quote:

“Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.” ― Henry David Thoreau

the past few weeks favorite things! 11/25/12 - 12/29/12

I haven't done a collected links post in a while- I've been adjusting to my new work job, experiencing away-from-home-for-the-holidays-sadness, and got way too backed up. I was going through a lot of my liked posts and felt like sharing them, so here we are again! Some of these posts aren't recent at all, I just happened to find them the past few weeks.

diy x this faux polaroid frame is wonderful! Since getting my Instax I have fallen in LOVE with the look of instant photos- I think this will be an easy way to get it without spending $14 on 20 film pieces and allow me to easily decorate my fridge in the process!

e-course x fitocracy founders are hosting a free e-course on developing and keeping fitness habits! It goes from 1/15/13 to 1/24/13. I love using Fitocracy when I go to the gym to log my workouts, so I'm going to set a reminder for myself to check this out!

diy x this bokeh camera hood/filter is great! I love the look of adding hearts and other designs to my photos. I don't have any black card stock but will probably pick some up this weekend to do this. I've also been wanting some pretty paper punches so this works out well! (Have to remember to hold to my one day of superfluous shopping rule!)

food x i always need a reminder for the eat right rule. :)

recipe x in love with this cinnamon roll coffee cake with cream cheese glaze recipe from Averie Cooks! I used her Overnight Pumpkin Cinnamon French Toast with Vanilla Maple Butter for Christmas morning and it came out great, so I am excited to try out some of her other recipes. May try this out tomorrow morning if I make it to the grocery store today. 

fashion x i am starting to change my closet direction a bit, and posts like this one on closet staples is always a good starting place!

funny x this post on being super blogger brings a smile to my face!

diy x since I got a new sewing machine for Christmas I have been looking for some sewing projects, and I really like this lace scarf tutorial. I need to make it over to a fabric store so I can pick up supplies!

art x love this feature from Pony Chops on Art and Ghosts. Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous.

photos x in love with these pictures of frosty plants! Now that I live somewhere where it gets cold enough for frost to build up, and for there to be snow I find it all even more beautiful.

photos x this is a great feature on Cari Wayman, a photographer who takes the most gorgeous photos in lots of different abandoned places. A really great find.

diy x love this project from Free People, a Dream Jar! I think it will look great on my nightstand. I also posted about this in my New Years Resolution post from yesterday.

diy x how great is this paper umbrella painting tutorial? I don't think there is really room in my life for paper umbrellas, but I may adapt this to lanterns or doilies or something.

New Years Resolutions

I decided to give a lot more thought this year to my resolutions. I've been reading a lot of others resolutions in trying to figure out how to frame mine- I want them to be definite, not vague. There doesn't have to be a goal, but I want to know how I will complete it. I want my resolutions to build up around how I want my life to be, and how I want the best possible version of myself to live. In no particular order, my New Years Resolutions are:

• Only buy non-necessities one day a week. I am a HUGE feelings-shopper. I very easily over reach with online shopping, and it has been a big problem in the past. It isn't now, but I feel it creeping back sometimes. My amazon wishlist is growing by the day! I would like to get to the point where other than non-necessities, I only do real or online shopping on one day each week. This way I'll be able to give a lot more thought to my purchases. Obviously, there will be times this is not feasible (as there is with everything) but I think this mindset will help me to be a more thoughtful shopper.
• Be able to do the splits by my birthday. Or at least determine that it isn't physically possible. I told myself I was unflexible so much throughout my life, mainly from my inability to touch my toes. But that changed this year! I got really into yoga and now I am way more flexible than I used to be. I have always admired gymnasts and ballerinas, and while I don't think I will be doing this any time soon, I hope to get the front splits in my flexibility repertoire. More yoga is the answer here. :)
• Write more. I saw this first over on Antiquarian Miss, and I am using it! Since moving, I have started writing a ton. I journal, I blog, I write little notes on pictures... Because this is something I have never done before, I need to make an effort to stick with it. To do this I will make sure I always have something accessible for me jot down what I want to remember. It's helped a lot to just keep my journal places I'm at normally, and I think using the journal jar I talked about in my last entry will also help me with this resolution. 
• Photograph more. I want to determine my style, I want to take more pictures of people, tell more of a story. Learn actual direction. I have written down in my 101 things to do in 1001 days that I want to take a photography course... I really like e-courses, and I think I will look for one focusing on lifestyle photography. I have started carrying my big camera everywhere with me so that I can start thinking of what I look at differently, and remind myself that if I want to remember something, I can! I hope to archive my photos well so that years from now Jack and I will be able to look back with our kids or something and say 'this is when Mom first moved in!' 
• Be healthier. Healthier in body, and spirit. Do, rather than say. Create more. During my relax period at the end of my practice a few weeks ago I got into my mind I want to fill my life with more inspirational energies- more clarity and brightness that is less from the consumer grind and more based on what I will truly value, and what helps me build myself into well, me. Simple things, like moving away from fast fashion, or leaving objects around that will guide and inspire my own personal course is how I hope to achieve this. 
• Read 30 books. This is pretty simple.. I've also started listening to Audiobooks! I just finished Divergent by Veronica Roth, read by Emma Galvin and loved it. I am listening to the Maze Runner now, and not nearly as interested. But I will continue! Audible is also having a really great $7.95 sale right now I'm sure I will dive into. And wait until my purchasing day to get something!

A subset to all of these - Prepare yourself to succeed. Saying you want to do something does not mean it will be done. Put time in your day for it. If you want to learn a new language? Plan to spend 3 hours throughout the week, actually schedule them, and sit down. Be one step ahead of your own procrastination. For me this making sure I carry my camera with me, keeping a packed gym bag in the car, filling the fridge with healthier snacks.... Surround yourself with the tools you need to accomplish your goal. I was reading Tara Stile's Slim Sexy Yoga which I got as a Christmas gift, and she mentioned she leaves a yoga mat out at all times to inspire her, and be able to practice with minimal effort. 

Make what you want readily available, and achievable. 

We'll see how this year goes, and I might add more to this list. I plan on putting it up in a pretty font so I can print it and put it into a frame next to my bed- constant reminders of what I want to do help a lot as well! :)

Journal Jar #001

Remember my journal jar from yesterdays post? Well it's back already. I wasn't really starting to use it all that fast, and Jack told me that I could use it for post inspiration. So here we are! Also, have Petra inspecting the journal jar:

What would you do if you won the lottery?

Oh lord. I would..... pay off my debt. I don't have much, but it's always there. I would pay off Jack's motorcycle and car, and put a lot away for us to pay rent at a better place. I would help out my family and friends in areas where I know it's needed, and then find a trusted financial manager and attorney. Well, the financial manager/attorney part would probably come first. Too many details! (I do know I want a 27" iMac too!)

For a long time I just spent spent spent money. I would buy things at stores I went to because if I walked through the door, I needed to walk away with something. Now I struggle to get things, even if I like them. To be honest, this is a really great change for me! One of my new years resolutions talks about my struggle with shopping, and I believe those are going up tomorrow.

I've started to try to fill my life with things that make me happy that cost less. Photography is a big one- getting a good picture, processing, printing and archiving my own photos brings me a lot of pride, and costs very little past the initial investments. I have also started personal journaling, which keeps me busy and gives me a sense of fulfillment (a full page is better than a full shopping bag!) that I don't find very often. I hadn't really thought about that before I started writing this post!

If you want to share, what would you do if you won the lottery?

Journal Jar Series
In an earlier post, I talked about creating my own journal jar. As I add prompts, and complete others in my personal journal I will be sharing some responses here. Please feel free to add your own responses to the questions, or borrow for your own post!

Monday snapshots

So where have I gotten so far with my list?

• Clean the ENTIRE apartment DONE! I am so proud. This was a huge project for me. :)
• Empty the fridge
• Spend time with both cats alone Seperating them makes this a lot easier. If we spend time with Petra, Scritchie isn't lurking far behind normally and still stresses her. :(
• Take some pictures I took so many. The best are below. :)
• Wrap some presents I had a few to wrap, and am waiting on one more to be delivered. For my first time wrapping, I do think I did okay. :) One of the items was a cylinder so I wrapped it like a holiday cracker! 
• Sing some christmas carols
• Edit lots of pictures Oh Lightroom, how I love thee. 
• DO THE SNOW DANCE. I really want some snow. Driving in it is the worst thing, but if I do not have a white Christmas I WILL BE SO MAD NEW ENGLAND!!!!
• Cook this really awesome looking pumpkin cinnamon overnight pull-apart french toast. 
• Have a spa day. My Christmas present from Jack was my own mini Lush-haul, so between bath bombs, scrubs, steams and face masks I think I'll do my body lots and lots of good.  Got to use my steam tab and fresh face mask! Later I will probably take the most luxurious shower. :)
• Finish season 2 of Teen Wolf.  Where is season 3?
• Catch up on blogs! Got my bloglovin to 0 unread! Yessssss. :) Also went through a ton of blog posts on some that I had never really gotten the chance to before. (Namely, Scathingly Brilliant. So adorable!)

I did take a lot of pictures!

 This morning I got up, and started making dough. I had seen this recipe for Nutella Cinnamon Rolls on A Beautiful Mess and got into the cooking mood! They came out pretty okay... I think my lack of a decent pan and messing up the heights affected them a little. Next time I'll use more cinnamon as well. 

Scritchie hanging out, watching the TV. He loves his cat tower, and Petra won't go near it. 

They are so close to each other without any hissing going on! You can see Scritchie (on the desk) mooning after Petra. He does this a lot.

The steam tab I used. You pop it into bowl with hot water and let it fizz out while you hold your head with a towel over so no moisture escapes. It smelled wonderful and I did notice a difference in my skin. 

I've been wanting to try one of their face masks so when Jack took me to pick out my Christmas present I picked this up as well. I did not mind the smell at all, and my skin is so soft after! I hope to notice a difference within a few days in terms of clarity, and I hope it can battle some of the spots I feel under the skin. :(

This is a small project I've been working on after seeing it on Pinterest A TON. My very own Journal Jar! I started this as a possible present but am enjoying it almost too much. I am writing everything directly onto scrapbook paper, then cutting the strips. They're all in the same pad so I like that they'll match. I plan on putting a ribbon or something around the threading. 

Tonight is going to be filled with fudge making, bread marinating and possible movie watching. 

I miss home A LOT. I've been FaceTiming with my parents and grandparents a lot, but it is nowhere near the same as knowing I'll be going over to my aunt's house tonight and seeing everyone, or that I'll be waking up to my moms Christmas breakfast tomorrow. I will definitely be heading back home next year for Christmas. Jack has been wonderful though- making sure I get my tree, not complaining about my Christmas radio stations and whatnot... I may even put a Yule Log on the TV tomorrow! :)

Goals for my break from work:

• Clean the ENTIRE apartment
• Empty the fridge
• Spend time with both cats alone
• Take some pictures
• Wrap some presents
• Sing some christmas carols
• Edit lots of pictures
• DO THE SNOW DANCE. I really want some snow. Driving in it is the worst thing, but if I do not have a white Christmas I WILL BE SO MAD NEW ENGLAND!!!!
• Cook this really awesome looking pumpkin cinnamon overnight pull-apart french toast. 
• Have a spa day. My Christmas present from Jack was my own mini Lush-haul, so between bath bombs, scrubs, steams and face masks I think I'll do my body lots and lots of good. 
• Finish season 2 of Teen Wolf. Sterek fandom is hilarious and got me watching the show. I love it :)
• Catch up on blogs!

In terms of cleaning, the living room is mostly done. We had some maintenance guys in over the week to fix some spots on the ceiling, and the spray they used left little spackle dots on EVERYTHING. Well, in most places it's just a fine dust but there are dots on my laptop and it is terribly annoying. :(

Almost ready for the latest addition to our family!

I had a somewhat rough day at work today- but I think a lot of it is my own neurotic self getting out of control. I try to always remind myself that I have the chance to be the best version of myself possible. I've talked about this in a few posts, but it's something I try to keep with me. I really have noticed a difference in how productive, and calm I am.

This weekend Jack and I get to pick up the newest addition to our family! Petra is ready to bring home. We could have picked her up tonight, but we didn't want to bring her home and leave her alone all Friday. We'll be picking her up on Saturday after a Doctor's appointment. Because we live in such a small apartment (about 650 square feet) it will be difficult to keep the cats separated at first, but while we're gone we'll have them in separate rooms. I hope they get along well so we don't have to do that for too long.

I stopped by the company store at work today and got a pair of boots! Not the iconic Timberlands, but they are totally me! I will be back to pick up some other things for family & friends. :) The cafeteria spoils us- I have been enjoying the best coffee and food. (Seriously- Green Mountain Gingerbread Coffee is the beeeeest.)

I got an Instax earlier this week- all my pictures are either all black because I take them from too far, or totally off because I adjusted for the viewfinder in the wrong way. What an easy mistake! Once I start taking some better ones I'll share- I do love being able to take photos this way! I always wanted a Polaroid, but I'm pretty sure the Instax is easier to carry around.

I'll post some of the pictures I've been taking in general this weekend. I hope we get more snow soon so I can get gorgeous Christmas lights photos. :)

Sunday pictures!

Jack and I have been marathoning Supernatural! I never saw past season 4, but I did see the finale for 5 so I was pretty ready to jump in for season 6. We're on an episode with dragons, which is really cool!

I did pick up my new lens yesterday and I am still getting used to it, but here's some pictures from the past day or two:

No picture post is complete with out photographing available cats.

Our Christmas tree, with some meager ornaments! I need to get a tree topper still.

Cat picture #2.

More ornaments- just plastic ones we got at Wal-Mart.

Did the whole DIY faux snowglobe project! I really like how it came out- I forgot that I had glue so I just taped the trees to the lid. We'll see if it lasts!

The best cat picture of the bunch.

My new cupcake calendar from ModCloth, with my old calendar from MochiThings behind it.

I was only able to find two trees... So only 2 snow globes.

Our kitchen wall was super blank, so I threw this up and it actually added a lot of dimension to the room! The template is a free printable which you can find here. 

Tonight we're going on a double date with some friends, then I'll probably be taking a bath with one of the Lush bath bombs I picked up a few weeks ago to get all relaxed before I go back to work.

This week I intend to bring my gym bag with me every day, so I'm more motivated to go to the gym after work. For at least 30 minutes! Cardio + weights. :)

I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend.

Happy Friday!

Moving across the country always brings up so many issues! My previous pharmacy billed me the wrong way for a prescription, and now I'm unable to pick it up until a few hoops get jumped through. And finding a new doctor- I'd gone to the same place for years and now it's all new again!

I've gotten more into my groove at work. I am basically busy 8:30 - 5 and don't really get a break, but it's completely thrilling! :) I did a lot of things over the past few days that I haven't really done before!

Mine and Jack's adoption application for a cat went through! We're really excited. They're guessing her age at 7 rather than 3, but we're okay with it as it puts her at the same age as our current cat. We're able to pick her up next week, so this weekend I will probably be trying to clean up a lot so I'm able to find her easily when she starts hiding.

Tomorrow I get to go pick up a ton of things at the post office! I'm excited, I think there will be a new camera lens, some modcloth items, and a mystery item I can't even imagine. I'm also going to stop by Hobby Lobby to pick up materials for those mason jar christmas globes to see if I can put one together. And speaking of christmas trees I hope I haven't killed mine. I forgot to water it for ~3 days and it's still slowly taking water, but I'll figure out over the next few days if I need to drill holes in the base.

Hopefully I'll take my new lens out for lots of pictures this weekend and have something to show for it!

Hope everyone had a great week and a wonderful Friday. :)

Monday Musings

Starting today it's not just me out of the house all day; Jack is working in Boston so he has an even longer commute than I do. Scritchie is moping and being cute all over!

Today was the first day I felt overwhelmed at work- I'm still getting used to how schedules map up, and   how I should organize myself so I don't lose things. But! Today was the prototype review for Spring/Summer 14 with some international buyers and that is a huge huge project out of the way, so I can re-center myself. I really just need to plan out my day better instead of being an unscheduled chicken with my head cut off.

I've also been taking way way way more pictures lately, mostly of Scritchie, but here are a few I took this weekend!

It actually seems like I'll manage taking a photo a day in December! :)

“So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life's A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you'll move mountains.” - Dr. Seuss

Happy Saturday!

No make-up!

Usually on Saturdays I post links I've found throughout the week, but today has been so busy! We had to stop by a service shop, picked up a christmas tree, and got me used to driving in snow! We only had about a quarter inch, but it was enough for me to get my car slipping around an empty parking lot. Jack wanted me to experience my car about to lose control so I could get used to not having a jerk reaction.

I'll try and get pictures of the tree tomorrow, as well as write a bit about the cat we've put in an application to adopt. Speaking of cats, here is another cat picture I'm really proud of:

I will have links and my typical sunday post tomorrow! I had a minor freakout earlier and it has left me with a renewed sense of getting in control of my life and time management.

~Till tomorrow~

First day back working!

Just a random snapshot from behind our apartment. I can't wait until the ground is covered in snow.

Today was my first day at the job I got through a temp agency. It's temp to perm at a company I would love to work at, so I'm really excited, and really applying myself. The official job title is 'Licensing and Accessories Coordinator'. If I get it perm, I'll probably say more then!

I was sad to be away from Jack all day. When I got home, he and Scritchie both just wanted to be near me it was so sweet!

I think the next step I have to tackle is getting back into the swing of going to the work and the gym- I won't be able to go to my favorite class now, because it's during work hours. There is 6:30 Zumba tomorrow, or I may try to go just to do some weights. I can't let this change in my schedule mess me up too much.

Small Update Tuesday

Today has been super busy, with car getting and looking at animal shelters as we're looking into adopting another cat. I thought I would post two pictures of things that I have been super close to today- my new car, and my cat. :) Car posts should be dying down a bit now, and will mostly turn into I HAVE A NEW JOB posts.

Monday Night Quotes #1

For the past few weeks, on the back of my 'daily plan' paper, I will write down a quote and I thought I'd start sharing a few that I'd found throughout the week that really resonated with me. Pretty sure these are all fairly popular, but that's okay!

In three words, I can sum up everything I know about life: it goes on. - Robert Frost

 One thing Jack always says when I start to get worked up is that things will work out, to which I always respond 'whyyyyyyyyyy', and he will look me right in the eyes and say 'because it has to.' And it does! It has to work out, keep going, there is no pause. A second is a second is a second, no matter how we process it.

When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too. - Paulo Coelho

I love this one. It goes with my last post quite closely, to enjoy the fruits of my labor I have to actually, well, put in the labor.  If I want to bring out the best in something I have to give it my best first.

So we shall let the reader answer this question for himself - who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of live and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S. Thompson

I used to convince myself to do things outside my comfort zone by telling myself 'There is a story here, and I want to tell it.' I find this holds true even now, and just thinking with that intention has led me in so many ways- I've gone skiing, gotten comfortable riding on a motorcycle, stayed up all night making superhero costumes out of found items with friends and doing impromptu photoshoots (true story), and more. Hopefully this will get me sky diving one day!

You are the universe, expressing itself as a human for a little while. - Eckhart Tolle

I dream about space a lot. I love learning more about our universe; how the stars work, what all these random balls of gas look like, are made up of, how they've gotten where they are and how we know they exist. It will always be a thorn in my side that I won't be able to travel into deep space on some exploratory journey and see something that has truly never been seen by another living being, but this quote reminds me of something I like to remind myself of. We're all made of stardust, and what can be found in the far reaches of our universe, known or not, exists right inside of me as well.

Maybe you had to leave in order to miss a place; maybe you had to travel to figure out how beloved your starting point was. - Jodi Picoult 

I've posted this one on here before, but with Thanksgiving having just passed and Christmas coming up it is always fresh in my mind.

Up to date Sunday #4

My new Subaru! I couldn't get a good picture of the car because of the time of day. :( It is a 2010 Subaru Legacy~

current song: Marina & the Diamonds - Primadonna

current thoughts: One of the things I've written down this week was about how if I wanted to become the best version of myself possible, it would take a ton of effort. No one gets anywhere without putting in effort- and I can't laze around looking for better things without working towards them. I make my own environment, and I'm the only person who can give myself the results I want. When I lost weight, it took a lot of effort, months of planning out every meal and counting every calorie. Last year, starting in June I think the only unplanned meals I ate were Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was effort and I got results I am proud of.

One of the things I've talked about on here before is how I get lethargic without a routine, and how I want to be more productive and I have been! But I think to be who I want to be in terms of personal happiness, social contentment, etc, I need to do more. Be proactive. Involve myself in projects that support me, and who I feel I am and involve myself with people who make my life better.

In my upcoming job, I hope to carry this with me. I remember at my last job, the best days were when I threw myself into my work completely, and was able to help others. This will always be true for me, and I just needed a bit of a reminder.

current plan: Go get my nails done, clean the apartment- with me starting work on Wednesday I will have less time at home to pick up everything! Better to get it in order now. I'm going to be doing some yoga at home later with the app I talked about last week. I did do a session of Jillian Michael's yoga meltdown which I really enjoyed a few days ago as well, but I don't think I've been able to focus on my own body as well. Plus, the svasana doesn't exist in yoga meltdown and it is my favorite part!

current quote:

Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice, It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.

- William Jennings Bryan 

this week's favorite things, 11/18/12 - 11/24/12

1) new pen from Mochi things 2) Marauder's Map crafty project thing 

3) sweet printable I found on GIS 4) Our snow from a while ago- I'm getting excited early!

We have two days of snow in the forecast! This will most likely change, but I am still excited. Putting this post together right now before I go to the gym for a 930 class- it's my first time going to this gym on the weekend so I am kind of nervous!

My favorite things this week:

diy x this handwritten poster project

fitness x these post thanksgiving workouts. I also couldn't stop myself from getting 2 of the blogilates tanks, the style is so cute!

fashion x this post on office party wear. I've seen a lot of crazy inappropriate things at holiday parties, and with all the casual fashion posts I like seeing the professional posts as well.

recipe x this protein baked apple oatmeal looks amaaaaaaazing.

phone x currently loving these phone background/lockscreen finds- I'm using the yellow bunnies and quality is not quantity print right now. :)

recipe x this vegan cranberry oatmeal bake also looks amaaaaaazing. I may have a thing for oatmeal!

I hope everyone had a good Black Friday, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Thanksgiving was wonderful!

Mine and Jack's place cards from dinner last night, I thought these were super cute and a great idea for organizing the 20+ dinner.

I skipped posting yesterday, but I just wanted to mention that I am extremely thankful to be where I am right now. I've moved so far from home, and the past few days have been really difficult but it's been okay. I am surrounded by wonderful people, my loving boyfriend, and the chance to go for exactly what I want in my life. I am thankful that I was able to make the choice to move, and have it go so easily.

I did go Black Friday shopping a little bit last night- I was at the Merrimack Premium Outlets at 1 AM! It was pretty fun, I've never done Black Friday shopping before. I felt like I was at a party- there was live music, lots of people and everyone seemed to be having fun. I've also been a fan of all the Black Friday Deals Posts I've seen today- this year I want to go more handmade/less store bought on gifts so these have led me to some great finds.

Today may go the car buying route, or that will go to this weekend. I have a lot of cleaning to do, and I need to recenter myself following the being up late/eating as much as possible/weird ennui in my life.

Job interview OOTD :)

-Cardigan/White House Black Market -Top/Forever21 -Pants/Target -Shoes/Madden Girl

Here are a few pictures of one of my job interview outfits- I did have another interview to go to this morning, which I think went well. I've been wanting to do a post about my job interview clothes for a while.

While I was a marketing assistant, I had to dress up every day so I have a semi-decent closet of professional wear at this point. I say semi, because I don't have a blazer that actually fits! I prefer the feel of cardigans anyways.

I think for job interviews, especially at the level (experienced, nonmanager) I am applying for, this is a really great outfit. I do feel the shirt may be a bit too shapeless/needed a little ironingohmygod, but I don't think it's a dealbreaker for the look. The cardigan does add a bit of casual to a look that may be too much with a blazer, but is still professional and could not be mistaken as casual.

I'm not sure how I feel about doing OOTD posts- my boyfriend took these as I don't have a tripod and I feel weird on camera! But in my search for appropriate job interview outfit styles I was almost hard pressed to find something that I felt comfortable with, so I hope this help someone!

Woooooo! New job!

I got a job!!! My interview yesterday went very well, and they got back to my recruiter saying I was far above the others in the running. I go in tomorrow to sign everything at the staffing agency. It is a temp to perm position, but they said in the interview they want to make it perm in the new year. I will be assisting two/three departments and an executive.

Now that I have a job, I need to get a car. Jack and I are sharing right now, but with me starting full time next Wednesday and him starting on December 3 at his new place it's become a priority. My dream baby right now is a used Subaru Legacy

It will be able to get me through the winter really well, and being a used car I won't be so terrified of any kind of danger.

I am super excited for this new opportunity, and taking a big step in buying my own car. :)

small update

I was so busy today! Well, for me. Compared to how my days have been. I went to the gym this morning, and had a phone screen and an in person interview. I think both went really well, but I assume most do.

So here is a picture of my male betta, Athena. He's awesome. I need to get a heater for his tank so he can truly flourish!

Drinking some angry orchard, watching Breaking Bad and catching up on blogs. Another interview tomorrow I need to get ready for!

Up to date sunday #3

Yesterday we went and took down a tree on a friends property, it was pretty neat! It was super loud, the ground shook, and the tree broke apart when it landed. I tried to get video but ran out of space on my phone a few seconds before it came down. Then Jack and I went to Wal-Mart and bought Christmas Candy. :)

current song: Genesis, by Grimes. 

current thoughts: Last night I realized I haven't been reading as much lately. By lately I mean at all. Growing up I got a new book every week, and I'm really sad I lost that sometimes. I found a few books I want to start on today. First I need to finish The Fault in our Stars by John Green, and then I think I'll move on to The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chobsky because I missed the boat on that one. My favorite genres are young adult and fantasy novels. And possibly new adult now that it's a thing.

current plan: Get out of bed! Charge my kindle, drink some green tea, get caught up on tv and start researching the companies I will be interviewing for.

current quote:

The problem, often not discovered until late in life, is that when you look for things like love, meaning, motivation, it implies they are sitting behind a tree or under a rock. The most successful people recognize, that in life they create their own love, they manufacture their own meaning, they generate their own motivation.

For me, I am driven by two main philosophies, know more today about the world than I knew yesterday. And along the way, lessen the suffering of others. You'd be surprised how far that gets you.

 -Neil deGrasse Tyson in an AMA on reddit.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend and a great saturday!

this weeks favorite things, 11/11 - 11/17/12

Played Battle of the Sexes with some friends last weekend, it was fun!

But not one of my favorite things this week! Those are linked below. :)

recipe x mashed sweet potatoes with sauted apples from Eat Yourself Skinny! I'm in love with this recipe! I love apples, and I love me some sweet potato. Perfect combination!

recipe x whoever thought of putting fruit in scrambled eggs? Skinny Confidential did, and I want some! Hopefully this will help to get me eating eggs more.

soul x this post about crappy thoughts on My Shine Project. It's wonderful to empathize on feelings and have the comforting feeling of if someone knows what I am feeling, and has gotten out of it, so can I.

recipe x what is up with food and me this week? anyways, this recipe for a high-protein pumpkin bread from The Iron You looks fantastic and I want to try it soon! Baking with protein powder seems like an adventure.

diy x a DIY project for cats? Cocorrina posted this earlier in the week. I am constantly looking to give my cat amusement after amusement, so I will be making one of these soon to try and entice him.

diy x love this eye mask tutorial from The Wonder Forest. Super chic and the examples she posted use my current favorite (adorable flowers). I can't wait to have a sewing machine again!

fitness x love workouts geared towards small spaces!

links x this link post on The Wonder Forest is also filled with a bunch of awesome things. I love Dana's finds! I will be making the felt trees this weekend hopefully.

yoga x Last night I tried out a yoga app for the first time, Pocket Yoga! I did the Desert practice, on beginner for 30 minutes and I really enjoyed it. It was easy enough that I could do all the poses, but I did have to push myself through the vinyasas. I love the set up as well; there are 3 different practices, and 2 Sun Salutations. Both have beginning, intermediate and advanced levels, and the practices have 30, 45 and 60 minute sections. The sun salutations go up to 30 repetitions. Even using my iPhone it was easy to follow and glance at if I needed to see exactly what was going on. I think I'll try it on my iPad next, the bigger pictures may help. Glad to know I'll be able to use this when I travel.

I hope everyone had a great week and is starting off their weekend on the right foot. :)

Liebster Award!

Reneé over on Antiquarian Miss nominated me for the Liebster! :) This looks like a really great networking technique for smaller blogs. The rules are:

1. Each person tagged must post 11 things about themselves
2. They must also answer the 11 questions the tagger has set for them
3. They must create 11 more questions to ask bloggers they have decided to tag
4. They must then choose 11 special bloggers to tag & award with the Liebster award with less than 200 followers
5. These lucky bloggers must be told in a comment on their blog 

So.... 11 things about me!

1. I've always lived within 45 minutes of Disneyland.... until now!
2. My favorite movie is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
3. I have been dying my hair red since I was 16 or so... no idea what my true natural hair color is!
4. I used to be obsessed with japanese and korean pop music. 
5. I lost about 30 pounds last year, but have gained a few back.
6. I write and keep notes around about EVERYTHING, I am addicted to lists.
7. I love eating new kinds of food. If it smells not-bad, I will eat it just to try it out. 
8. I have a small makeup addiction- my makeup drawer (which takes up half my desk) is almost full! My favorite brands are Urban Decay and NARS.
9. I have made a 101 things in 1001 days list, and I think the 100 books task is the one I am most looking forward to.
10. Jack and I are looking to adopt a female 1 year old cat, and name her Petra after Petra Arkanian from the Ender's Game series.
11. I am addicted to movie adaptations of books! I do think most books should be presented as mini-series though. Especially Harry Potter.

11 questions from Reneé:

1. What is your favorite holiday?
1. Probably.... Christmas. It's when the whole family gets together and it's an amazing organized meal, and a lot of members put aside personal issues to have a wonderful day. This will be the first christmas I am away from home, and it gets to me sometimes!
2. Cats or dogs?
1. Aaaaah, this is so hard! I miss my dog, Honey, a lot but I have a wonderful cat. Jack and I are planning on adopting another cat soon as well. I love both!
3. What is the best thing that has happened to you because you own a blog?
1. I have been more creative, and done more things for myself. Instead of getting into a slump because of the 'between jobs' aspect of my life, I've been able to work on personal improvements and projects to enrich my environment while I search for a fulfilling job.
4. Coffee or Tea?
1. I love boooth. I've been on a tea kick lately, but I have some coffee in the pantry that is waiting for me! 
5. What is your favorite thing about yourself?
1. Physically, my smile! Emotionally, my optimism. It's been a bit neglected lately, but I always try to look on the bright side of things or at least remind myself there is a bright side.
6. What is your favorite candy?
1. DOTS. Always DOTS. Gelatin based candies are the best, and what would mess me up if I chose to go vegetarian. 
7. What are your thoughts on IKEA?
1. I love love Ikea. Furniture that's cheap and pretty sturdy? Awesome! At my new place the nearest Ikea is like, 3 hours away apparently so I've started investing in 'real' furniture, which has been interesting. I miss all my swedish names!
8. What is your dream job?
1. Dream job is something where I get to work with a team, and talk to other people a lot. I need to find the right passion to apply this to!
9. Pepsi or Coke? Or neither?
1. Coke Zero, all day every day! I am addicted, and I have Jack drinking it too now. He usually asks for it first at restaurants, haha.
10. What is your favorite superhero?
1. Invincible! I love that he had to deal with normal high school stuff while uncovering all the secrets about his life. The comic Invincible is by Rob Kirkman, who also writes the Walking Dead.
11. If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?
1. Pay off my debt, buy a car, buy a house and save the rest. After shopping a bit for things for the new house. 

Hm, this is always hard for me! 11 questions for those whom I tag:

1. Which sounds better, Disneyland, or Disney World?
2. If you had to host a chick flick night, what movie would you choose?
3. You have to hike a mountain, which one do you choose?
4. Green, black, white, or what other kind of tea do you like the most?
5. You get to repaint your bedroom, which color would you like?
6. What is your dream vacation?
7. If you could have a super power, what would you want?
8. Favorite book from classic literature?
9. If you went to Hogwarts, what would your favorite class be?
10. You get a gift card for the store of your choice, which store is it? Major mall or handmade shop?
11. Would you rather cruise in the Caribbean or vacation in the snow?

I don't actually have 11 bloggers to choose! I am still growing what I read a lot, and I think a lot of people will have been tagged already. 

1. SimplyCallMeSylvia
2. Brittany's Notebook
3. Living Bittersweetly
4. I think I need to explore more! I will link back to this post as times goes on, to nominate other bloggers I find and feel a connection to. :)

So, I've been tagged for this a few more times! Here are some additions:

From Living Bittersweetly:

1. If you could be a character on any TV show, which show/character would it be? 
1. Battle Star Galactica! 
2. What is your favorite book?
1. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. This does change a lot though!
3. If you could pick which decade you were born in, what would it be?
1. I love when I was born, 1989. :)
4. What is your favorite part about being a blogger?
1. Feeling more comfortable with writing- I feel there is a lot more direction in my life now that I blog.
5. If you could learn how to do or make anything what would you pick?
1. Play the piano! 
6. What was your favorite TV show as a child?
1. Sailor Moon.
7. What is your favorite dessert?
1. Apple pie with ice cream.
8. What, in your opinion, is the cutest baby animal (pictures are always good)?
1. Puppies!
9. What accomplishment of yours are you the most proud of?
1. Moving to NH on my own.
10. What was the last movie you saw in theaters?
1. Looper.
11. If you could meet anyone who would it be?
1. Real? Not sure, to be honest. Fictional? Remus Lupin. :)

Review, Masa Japanese Restaurant in Manchester, NH

Tuesday night Jack and I went on a double date to the restaurant I have most wanted to try since I moved here- Masa Japanese Hibachi! I have had hibachi/teppanyaki before and love the meat, the rice, and the show. I also knew they had a sushi bar and wanted to get my sashimi on.

Pictures originally from the restaurants website, Masa Japanese Hibachi. I forgot my camera! :(

The first thing I noticed about this place, which you can see from the pictures, is that it is gorgeous. In an area of family restaurants Masa really stands out to me for it's adult oriented and well, sexy decor. While some parts do feel a bit kitschy, the lighting underneath the bars at the hibachi tables and tiled everything really stands out. Even Masa's hours are more adult oriented- on a Tuesday night we were there until 10:30 with no rush from the staff, and on weekends they are open until 11:30.

When we walked in we were sat down at a Hibachi table, but they also have booths and a sushi bar. I ordered salmon sashimi, a bottle of Kirin Ichiban beer and steak for my meat. Everyone else in our party ended up ordering the filet and chicken meats. (You can see the full menu here, prices are between $15 - $45 for most entrees.) First the normal waitress brings out a salad which was delicious, and used some kind of house sauce as dressing. She also brought out a clear broth which the other girl with us enjoyed, but I didn't enjoy it at all. She also started to get the griddle hot.

I didn't catch the name of our chef for the night, but he was pretty young and energetic! We were the worst audience ever, since everyone was a little on the tired side and the birthday party sharing our table was headed by the most apathetic 20-year old ever. Poor guy, I still feel bad! He worked with what he had though. He did have tricks up his sleeve- juggling eggs on the cooking apparatus, making the chicken do the worm, accidentally spilling on one of the girls with a trick sauce bottle, throwing broccoli off the spatula into our mouths (I failed at this, miserably.), and squirting sake into the mouths of those who were up for it. I was very entertained, and so was everyone else despite the lack of energy.

First he prepared our fried rice, which was amazing. The fried rice was perfect. I would eat the fried rice for dinner for a week if I could. Next were vegetables, also insanely good! And finally the meat. My steak was medium-rare and I really loved it, the flavor was really great and it was actually medium rare! The filets were fantastic as well, and I probably should've just ordered filet but I am crazy. I did not try the chicken, but from all accounts it was awesome as well. I also got green tea fried ice cream as a desert and it was fantastic. I love fried ice cream, fried cheesecake, all fried deserts. I ate it all by myself! So proud.

I am going to go back to Masa, the only real negative for me throughout the night was the clear broth. I think next time I will try to make it more of an event oriented night, so that we can be more lively with the chef and make their night easier! I am sure there are better places in Boston, but with Masa only being a 5 minute drive from my apartment I think it will be my favorite for quite a long time.

I'm beginning a project today!

I've always admired people who have tons of photos surrounding them, and been able to have a creative outlet with their memories. This may be my first step into scrapbooking! I've been journaling lately- keeping pads of paper around I can write my thoughts on, which I later tape into a notebook where I can write more than a few lines if I need it.

But back to photos! I saw this post over on Here's Lookin At Me Kid (who has since moved to Making Nice in the Midwest, yay for growth!) which gave me instant inspiration. What's going on in that most is a lot more picturesque than what I came up with. On a recent trip to Michaels I picked up a cheap 4"x6" photo album, and some scrapbooking paper I really liked. I already had some photo paper from when I got a printer.

Steps!

1. Take picture, edit picture, print picture
2. Put picture in photo album
3. Write caption on pretty paper, or a sticker, or other pretty things.
4. Put caption on top of picture inside the sleeve!

Super easy, perfect for me. I really liked how simple but put together this little project looks, when I see most DIY or journal ideas the first thing I think to myself is 'the first time I try this it will be a huge mess', which just means I need practice! but this little thing turned out wonderful the first try.

Since moving I've been learning to treasure my memories more and more, and how important it is to record them. I think I'll be going back through pictures I took while I was home and making albums out of those like this as well. Here's what I have so far:

$2.50 at Michaels! Going to look on Etsy for better albums.

I've posted pictures from this ride before, in this post.

Picture was taken near Angle Pond, there are more photos here.

Another grab from this post.

I am really liking a lot of the journaling activities and ideas I'm seeing, and think I may be getting into it a bit more!

I'm picking up all these hobbies while I am without work! Hopefully I'll be able to keep everything up once I star working again. :)

Finding my space at home

Photo from SheKnows.Com

One of the challenges I've had moving into a small apartment is the lack of space for fitness. Well, this really isn't super accurate as my room back home was super tiny. One of my big, slow-going, personal projects has been making myself a peaceful space where I can focus on my favorite at home workout, yoga.

I use the living room as my practice space- we have a TV where I can watch youtube videos, or download programs to our media center. I am also able to play pandora through the TV, so I can throw on their Yoga station to help me get in the mood. I also have different surfaces around me- I don't have blocks, so it's nice to have a low table right next to me if I need to steady myself.

This room has probably been my biggest project. Keeping it clean and free of distractions is a constant effort. Before I practice I always go through with a plastic bag and pick up anything I can, and use the 30-second rule: If I can do something in less than 30 seconds, I need to get it done! I'll also break out the dust buster in areas around where I put my yoga mat. I light a few lightly-scented candles as well, to calm my thoughts. (I think it works? I really like smelling like a softer version of the Yankee Candle store at least.) I just need to push the coffee table against the couch in order to have enough space to practice.

Currently I use the YogaAccessories Super Thick Yoga Mat which may have been a bit overzealous of me in thickness, because I have carpet. I imagine I'll be loving it when I eventually take the mat with me to a class at the gym. I love how long it is- because we do have carpet and I practice in a high traffic area I don't want to be touching the carpet with my hands, or have my hair flop around. Because the mat is 74" long I am super comfortable stretching out wall-to-wall on it. A problem I've had with previous mats was also solved here - no slippage! A bit TMI, but I get really sweaty hands and feet while I do yoga. With my last GAIAM mat I couldn't even stay in down dog comfortably, but with this mat I feel a lot more comfortable with myself. I also purchased the Aurorae Yoga Slip Free Rosin Bag, but I'm not sure if this has actually helped or just made me a little messy.

My Checklist for creating my ideal yoga space:

1. Pick up all trash, dishes, clean up any dust in the area.
2. Put on music, like the pandora yoga station.
3. Push that coffee table over
4. Light some candles!
5. Dodge the cat
6. Get flexible and focused!
7. After my practice, I will wipe down my yoga mat. I really need to look into a more serious cleaning solution though. I've seen wipes, and make-at-home-sprays, which I think I will go in the direction of. 

Does anyone have tips for yoga in a small space? I love finding new ways to change things up and improve!

I ❤❤ Autumn Tag

I've seen this around a few places and have always wanted to do a tag post/video, so here we go!

1. It's finally Autumn; what are you most looking forward to this season?
The Foliage already passed! So right now I'm most looking forward to Thanksgiving with my new family circle here in New Hampshire. :) 

2. What Autumn item in your closet are you most excited to pull out?
My fur lined boots! Sometimes when we go out a night it's already reached 30F or below, so they're a huge help. 

3. Since Halloween is the first holiday to celebrate, we all get treated with a horror film marathon all month long...What is your favourite scary film to watch?
Well, Halloween for me was spent curled up in bed watching Burn Notice! But my favorite scary movie is probably the original Shutter. 

4. What is your favourite Autumn treat?

Pumpkin everything! I am a huge fan of pumpkin candles, pie, cookies, muffins, cold drinks, warm drinks, ice cream, etc. And a new addition to this may be the fall quesadilla at the local T-Bones restaurant which had apples, and walnuts in it. Who would've thought?

5. Now that summer is finally over, What will you miss about it?

I think what I'll miss most is spending time with my mom in our backyard. We all put a lot of work into it and it was the perfect relaxation area. You can see some snapshots in a recent post. 

6. What make-up/beauty products do you love for Autumn?
I haven't changed my make up! I only really got into it this year, so I'm still learning a lot. I have noticed my skin gets drier a lot faster, so I've been upping my lotion use. 

7. What have you recently bought in preparation for the up and coming season?

A winter coat! I posted about some of my other winter readiness items in a recent post. I made sure my jacket was waterproof, and will probably pick up some leather waterproofing sprays for my boots. Which said they were waterproof. My toes still got wet!!

8. Have you ever been trick'or'treating?
When I was younger it was a high light for me! I was always a princess or some zany thing I came up with. I can't even imagine how much candy I ate in one night! There is no trick or treating in our area really, so I just bought the big bags to eat myself this year. 

9. Name the first 5 things that come to your head when you think of Autumn.
Foliage, apples, wind, warm colors, pumpkin.

10. What is your favourite season and why?
Probably spring - the weather finally picks up and everything is warm and lively again. :)

Met with a recruiter earlier at a staffing agency, she seemed optimistic about how easy it would be to place me and get a good fit with me. I just need to complete some software assessments and hopefully that will be off! Have a phone screening tomorrow which I'm excited about, even if it is retail. It's good retail! 

Jack is at his second job interview, we're hoping that goes well. We got invited to a friends for dinner afterwards which will be awesome. I hope everyone is having a fantastic monday, at home or at work! :)