thought for thursday.

A huge dream of mine is just packing up and relocating - somewhere. 

That somewhere list is kind of like chock full of never ending options.

A lot of the time though when I talk about this desire - the feedback is something along the lines of "you can't just run away from where you are at."

But really, sometimes running away puts you exactly where you're supposed to be.

And that risk?  Maybe worth it, maybe not. 

But not risking it and never knowing what might have happened?  Now that's a terrible chance to take.

questions.

Sometimes I feel kinda like Julia Roberts in Runaway Bride (minus the whole getting married bit), but the whole not knowing what it is you truly want. 

I mean, really she didn't even know what kind of eggs were her favorite - truth: I'm mostly in the same boat.

I more or less know my favorite foods (pepperoni pizza xtra pepperoni, cheeseburgers, my Mom's meatloaf, her homemade macaroni & cheese, Thanksgiving feast your face menu, mostly anything chocolate (york peppermint patties are the best though!), and well actually there is quite a bit more)....I guess scratch the more or less know my favorite foods.

Anyways, I'm kinda feeling like I'm in a pretty big rut and I'm actually having quite a bit of issues with anxiety lately.

Then I found this blog post (which seriously check out their whole blog, really awesome stuff - expect some in future friday favorites, that's for sure): 95 Questions to Help You Find Meaning and Happiness.

Sign me up, immediately.

So I dove right in obviously.

Then I began to get frustrated, ohhh I don't know, by the time I reached question #5.

I literally can't answer these questions.

Nothing....well ok, maybe like a few questions all which have answers pertaining to my dogster.

Dogster = big love & happiness.

But any direct question requiring complete honesty with/on myself and I've got nothing?

Am I that much of a shell?  Or am I that much of a mostly happy living with my head in the clouds type of mess?

WTF.

friday favorites.

I'm probaly definitely going to be a nervous nelly all day.

My bro and gf left for snowboarding first thing this morning, leaving me with the fire and his dog.

I said eff the fire and turned on the oil instead and took the dogs for a frolic in the fresh snow.

Upon return and prior to me leaving - someone hurled and my dog cried when I went to roll him over.

The last time my dog cried he required emergency surgery on his mouth.

Panic all day?  I say yes.

But alas - onwards to the favorites.

To start off several National Geographic Photos of the Day.

Growing up my whole dream was to relocate to Iceland and have an Icelandic pony.  So this picture by Marketa Kalvachova of horses in Iceland, well I love it and I want one.

I'm obsessed with the night sky, there really isn't anything that can compare to the amazing-ness of it.  One of my favorite times to be outside is late, late at night when the sky is crystal clear - including running a couple miles down a dark trail after 9PM.  So I'm obviously loving this photo by Chris Cannucciari of a Stargazer in Lake Malawi.

I love Argentina and it's totally on my list of places to go.  And this photo by Chris Schmid of the Iguazu Falls on the Brazil-Argentina border, makes me want to go explore the country that much more.

And my final pick from the photos of the day were these Elephants in Uganda by Joel Sartore.  LOVE elephants.

I'm kinda obsessed with the Rihanna "We Found Love" song.  And last night upon youtubing covers of the song, I found this version by Boyce Avenue.  I totally dig it and you should totally check it out.

You should make these Mint Creme Oreo Stuffed Fudge Cookies before the mint oreos are gone.  So effing good.

America's least expensive cities in 2012?  So there.  Somehow, maybe a little bit, kind of aligns itself with the Top 10 Cities for Dating.

Soooo, American Idol is totally one of my guilty obsessions.  And I love having my opinions and then seeing what others have to say - this blog for instance is something I look forward to reading the next day.

And now for a little Bing love.

First this picture of Blue Lake in New Zealand almost makes me tempted to go there.  It's all the poisonous animals that's holding me back.

Now, this picture of the village of Reine in Norway, makes me reconsider Scotland and potentially decide on a me & dogster relocation to Norway.

Soooo, I really wanted a new signature scent (not that I don't love my Calvin Klein Euphoria, because I do) - but I wanted something different.  And I was beyond skeptical to purchase a scent online but then I stumbled upon this Peace Love and Patchouli perfume oil by TenDigitCreations.  Really it was the fact that it noted it smelled like patchouli and peppermint leaf (I was thinking I would smell like a hippie at Woodstock who was chewing some mint gum) that made me take the plunge and I'm so happy I did!  I love it, totally my new signature scent and I just keep smelling myself.  Although the 10% discount code they have going on right now makes me tempted to test out another scent, Hippie Nights perhaps?

Also can we please discuss how amaze-balls Emma Stone is?  Golden Globes, ummmm her belt fucking kicked so much arse (an eagle, seriously?!) and her hair and make-up = totally bananas.

Anyways - happy Friday or something & enjoy your weekend!

thought for thursday.

A friend of mine asked me last night what it is that I want to do.

I without a doubt can't accurately answer that question because I haven't the slightest idea.

Then I stumbled upon a few quotes that answer that question for me:

"I don't know what I want to do with my life, I just know I want to do it.  I want to see my world.  I want to meet every single person breathing on this earth.  I want to give everyone a hug or a handshake and I want to make someone's life a little easier.  I want to be different than the people I know because that's what makes us beautiful."

"I may still not know what I want to be when I grow up, but I do know that someday I want to live in a house filled with my books and travel souvenirs.  And the walls that aren't covered in bookshelves will be covered with photos of my family and friends.  When I leave my house I will be going to a job I love, and I'll return to a person I love.  So, that's my dream I'm working on."

and my personal favorite:

"She's one of those girls who doesn't know what she's doing, but she wants to know everything will be worth it one day.  She isn't amazing at one thing, just good at a lot of things, and that's all she'll ever be.  She wishes she could be different, but she lives her life to the fullest anyway.  All she truly needs is love to keep her sane.  She looks at her world like it's a book, with pages being read every day.  She's her own worst enemy and hardest critic.  She knows she has flaws and tries to accept them, even though she knows she never fully will.  More than anything, though, she just wants to make a difference one day, and she wants someone to remember her name."

and well, that's that.

reasons to invite me to your party.

1.  I dress super cool: think zebra tee-shirt and camouflage crocs cool.

2.  I will bring solo cups and convince the party host to come up with a make-shift beirut table.

3.  When someone arrives I will shout out a greeting including both their first & last name, even if they have no idea who I am.

4.  Dance parties are awesome and I will make even the most reluctant party attender attempt the 2-step, maybe even the harlem shake.

5.  I will bring my own koozie and proceed to lose it, prompting a scavenger hunt the next day.

friday favorites.

I apologize for the semi hiatus from writing, but realistically nothing supremely exciting has been happening (minus the fact that my dogster came to work with me!) and I also have a new boss that actually pays attention to what I do during the work day leaving me with little time to blog.

But here I am hop, skipping, possibly jumping (although I attempted a flying leap jump over a semi frozen river this morning and obvs didn't make it and landed in the river, and really I'm pretty sure an Olympic long jumper wouldn't have cleared the distance, but then hind sight is everything - so let's just cross of jumping) into my favorite finds.

I'm gonna start with some National Geographic Photo of the Day stunners.

First here is a photo taken in Bandarban, Bandladesh by M Yousuf Tushar.  Perhaps me and the dogster could relocate to that house there in the middle, hm?

This submerged plane in the Bahamas by Bjorn Moerman is a siiiick photo.

Actually scratch relocation to Bangladesh - check out this picture of the Church of Rodel in the Outer Hebrides by Jim Richardson.  Scotland here we effing come (side note: as soon as this post is complete I am literally going to google relocation to Scotland, serious).

Stumbled upon this site of 20 Hysterical Roommate Notes, I actually laughed a bit out loud.

Did I just waste multiple hours browsing through outfit options after finding tobi?  After finding this amaze-balls times about a billion Party Rock Aztec Leggings, I nearly wept in glee.

Not that I think anyone would permit my use of power tools, a build-a-home (aka assembly required) - from a kit, sounds so effing awesome.  From those listed, I would totally pick the K1 by KitHAUS....legit.

The World's Friendliest Countries for relocation, count this girl and her dogster in!  But what would be epically, epic is an article on the Friendliest Countries for relocation with a dog.  Serious, right?

And finally a quote from Madeleine L'Engle (growing up was literally obsessed with her book A Ring of Endless Light and might have read it 957 times):

We try to be too reasonable about what we believe.  What I believe is not reasonable at all.  In fact, it's hilariously impossible.  Possible things aren't worth much.  These crazy impossible things keep us going.

Stop being reasonable and be the impossible.

Enjoy your weekend!

thought for thursday.

simple.

completely love.

oh heyyo 2012.

I don't really do the resolutions for the new year.

I have the mind set that each day should be approached as a blank slate, a new beginning if you will.

But I will say that I'm feelin' big moves for 2012.

I'm not an ordinary, run of the mill kind of girl.

I'm unique, and probaly a bit odd.

But this year, I'm all about embracing that.

Me & the dogster, we're all about getting things done, making differences, and exploring our world.

Bring it 2012.