Stop everything you are doing right now and go to this: http://jakefogelnest.com/post/17460767716

I promise it will be worth your time and you might want to have some kleenex handy.

Then after you do that you might want to download the Preacher’s Wife soundtrack because the Whitney Houston/Georgia Mass Choir combination will make your heart go BOOM!

Me: What will I wear to Utah in January in front of a bunch of design bloggers?

Her: What will I wear this weekend? Stupid Christmas.

Me: Don’t you own an LBD, cute tights, stacked heels. Statement necklace in gold…?

Her: ….

Me: I thought you were the expert here! What’s the point of having a best friend who is a stylist. What if you had a Tom Coburn emergency! I’d totally be there for you!

Moving on.

It was not the former that kept me from here for the past month. In fact it was nothing but normal life stuff. Nothing particularly exciting or earth-shattering. Just your run of the mill, wondering where the hours of the day have escaped to. Days on end of peeking behind bookshelves and under tables thinking that time just escaped and is hiding somewhere. It all goes so quickly, no? So that’s where I’ve been. The Senate kicked my ass and I had a birthday and now I’m making plans for a variety of things. The first being a trip to Palm Springs in a week for Camp Mighty.

Part of our Camp Mighty experience is to raise money for Charity:Water a non-profit organization that brings safe and clean water to developing countries. My mission that I already have chosen to accept is to raise $200 for Charity Water and my team. So here’s the deal: With a donation of $2 you will receive an entry into a raffle for a $50 Amazon Gift Card or a $50 iTunes gift card. Your choice.

If you choose not to participate in the raffle and you just want to give directly to my Charity: Water team, you can do that as well. Just head to the Team Three page here and go ahead and donate then mention my name in the comment text box.

I will end the raffle on Wednesday, November 9th at 6 PM. I will use random.org to choose the winner and he or she will be notified that evening by email.

This venture is sponsored by moi because I am obsessed with Amazon and iTunes. NONE of the proceeds will be going to me, all to Charity:Water.

Everyone got it? Awesome. I’m excited. Go forth and donate.

I know you can’t wait. Neither can I.

I don’t want to trivialize the inhumane horrors that African slaves endured on slave ships (above) destined for the Americas. But after a recent airplane trip, sitting tightly next to my neighbor in steerage seats, I feel the discomfort and pain endemic to the current air experience has certain curious similarities.

Read more: Daily Heller A Curious Similarity — Imprint-The Online Community for Graphic Designers

Thanks to Crystal Light for sponsoring this post. To learn more about how Crystal Light can flavor your day with 30 refreshing flavors, visit http://www.facebook.com/crystallight

“Life is not merely to be alive, but to be well. ” ~Marcus Valerius Martial

I’m typing this very carefully so as not to wake a sleeping cat. The one who is all curled up in that warm spot between my bent legs. The one who, if woken up, will jump over my laptop and onto my head as if I’m not a living, breathing creature who doesn’t want claw marks on her face. See also; what an asshole. Squinting by the light of my laptop I can see that it’s 3:54 AM so I have a few more minutes of typing before I have to get dressed for spinning. What? You don’t go to spinning at 5:30 in the morning? In the dark, in the icy cold winter, swearing under your breath and maybe giving the finger to the guy at Dunkin’ Donuts? Huh? How interesting. I do because a) insanity dictates that I do things others wouldn’t normally contemplate b) if I don’t do it now, I won’t ever do it and three days later my favorite shirt won’t go over that squishy bulge that is my stomach.

So sexy.

A year ago I wouldn’t have done such a thing. In fact I think that morning is just another way of the Universe screwing me. Like taxes, car inspections and being forced to take out the garbage. After a long list of semi-tragic events ranging from heartbreak to death, I let everything go including myself. I could blame it all on medication and that it was the Lithium that made my face resemble a blow fish but it was the booze and the burgers and those midday trips to Cold Stone Creamery in the name of sadness. It wasn’t until months later when I saw a photo of myself, puffy face, gut sticking out that I realized that in my wallowing, I lost myself. I neither looked nor felt like me. So, I did what any good woman would do; I cried and had a milkshake.

Yes, really.

I cringe when I know that what is about to come out onto a page will be s string of cliches but it’s true that all you need is that one moment when you see what you were and compare it to what you could be. A brief moment of clarity where you realize that you’re manning the driver’s seat in this ride so it is up to you to turn and avoid hazards accordingly. It started with simple things like a gym membership and weight watchers. Then I moved onto workout plans, carrying a jump rope with me at all times and shoving fork-fulls of kale down my piehole.

Basically I took that person that I saw in that photo and realized that the lady had potential and I made attempts – the time – to change. The ‘how’ is amazing given that my airport to home ratio is like 40 to 1 but it’s amazing how well sneakers travel and wanting some semblance of your life back only requires a sprig of willpower. I go spinning at the butt crack of dawn. I bring yoga clothes to the office and set an alarm when I need to get out of there and into vinyasa flow. I take weekend trips. I shut the door and listen to Adele. I do things – anything, it seems – to make me feel more grounded. I do anything to make me feel that despite outside influences and whatever is swirling around in the air, I am still in control.

I am a woman who craves alone time or at least a little somethin’ somethin’ for herself each and everyday. I need that time to get centered and remind myself who is control. Last night after a day without me time or sunshine for that matter, I sat and had a glass of wine (tempranillo/cabernet blend) and repeated that to myself. I am in control. And with that, I had me.

Remember, visit http://www.facebook.com/crystallight to learn more about how Crystal Light can flavor your day with 30 refreshing flavors. I was selected and paid for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

In the event that you complain to and or request the help of the Internet you should include photos of the subject of your complaints. In this case it is my living room. I hate my living room. I especially hate that brown futon against the red accent wall. The wall is my favorite part but why dark on dark? It’s very “Hello! And welcome to my coffin!”

It’s all just so blahhhhhh and not me. I like bright and fun, I know sometimes my writing begs to differ on that last statement but I’m more whimsy than anything. I want to enjoy a space and this here does not depict any enjoyment. Yesterday in my I want to punch my living room in the face ramblings Danielle introduced me to Queenie Takes Manhattan. More specifically her small space love. That’s what I want ‘love’ for my apartment even though yes, it is an apartment and not permanent and blah blah blah, I’ve heard it all before but it still deserves a little awesome. A little more oomph. A little more…well…anything that isn’t this.

Fine and Dandy Print via PaperMoth

Life list #18: Turn my apartment into a home

“I hate my living room. It’s making me batshit insane”

“Sooo, throw pillows?”

“….”

“Well, I read somewhere that new pillows can help fix things”

“No, throw pillows would be like putting a Hello Kitty bandaid on a stab wound. This is more like if I don’t get rid of that God awful futon I’m going to rip the stuffing out of that sucker”

“So no throw pillows”

“Actually, I think I’ll get some of those too”

Buchanan Apartment Sofa via Pottery Barn

People ask why I don’t buy as in a house. A HOUSE. I shudder when that comes up because buying is so permanent. I also don’t shovel driveways or clean gutters and if leaves fell on my yard, I’d probably just say “That’s NATURE. Leave ‘em!” I’d be a terrible owner which I have fully resigned to and I am ok with that. Some people just aren’t meant to have big yards until later in life if ever. I like leaving all the yucky stuff up to someone else.

But it’s a waste of money.

What about parking?

What about permanence.

I reply with the delicate nature of my own sanity. The way I’m perpetually teetering along and how anything that can make me have to stress less is good. But I’m redoing anyway: Another coat of pant, new prints. Michael’s is having a sale so double mat gallery frames were in order. And a new sofa. Definitely a new sofa.

I just want to want people to come over. I want to come home and be happy to be here. I want to sit at my table with tea in a buddha bowl, my laptop and fuzzy socks and I’d like to do so in a place that brings a smile to my face. More color and whimsy and less “Welcome to my funeral parlor”.  My eyes have gone wonky from poring over Apartment Therapy and Decor8. I’ve never been much into design blogs but suddenly every thing looks so delicious. Let the games begin.

This is the second night of BlissDom. It is far different than 24 hours prior when I sobbed in my room over an open bottle of wine and See’s chocolates, threatening to leave. More on that joy tomorrow. But for now, we are nerds. Adorable, fun, semi-drunk unless you’re Allison over there who parties like a Mormon. Which is to say she was out later than I and not nearly as full of Makers Mark. Smart girl.

Thanks, Mishi for the photo!

]]> http://nopasanada.org/2011/01/31/nerds-on-parade/feed/ 0 http://nopasanada.org/2011/01/24/laden-with-explicitves/ http://nopasanada.org/2011/01/24/laden-with-explicitves/#comments Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:56:51 +0000 nopasanada http://nopasanada.org/?p=1646 “And I never wanted anything from you. Except everything you had. And what was left after that too.” – Florence And The Machine

First of all, I have recently updated my workout mix. Second of all, you should probably cover your kids’ ears when sampling any of those suckers because oh my God. Nothing like a melodic Fuck You and a thumping It’s Me, Bitches to get your heart rate up.

I have semi strict criteria for planning a playlist for running. First of all, I need to have at least a half-hour of extra music for those moments when you really cannot stand to hear someone’s voice and you’re pressing the forward button on your ipod with a fierceness. Sometimes at mile nine you kind of want to punch Florence in her machine. “The dog days are most surely NOT over”, you pant mid-stride.

What I love most is the stark contrast to my writing playlist which makes me look so gentle and makes me feel like busting out a woodwind as opposed to an angry person calling women ‘bitches’ and hoes’ while running past children.

Teach me How To Dougie is on there not because it will cause one to sprint that last half mile but because there’s always that part mid-run when you just need a good beat. Something to smooth it out. Loosen up your legs, run with your arms hanging and maybe sway side to side.