Archives for 2010

I just found these adorable shoes on A Cup of Jo and I am thinking they may the perfect summer shoe!

Well, it is almost Valentine’s Day and what better time to begin attracting that love into your life that you think only exists in movies! I think Valentine’s Day is a great day to appreciate being a girl! It is a day that focuses on love, in all of its’ forms. A day filled with pink and red and hearts and flowers. Could life get any more girlie? Here are some ways to take full advantage of Valentine’s Day, whether or not you are in a relationship.

1) Do something for YOU! Valentine’s Day is a day of love and the person you should love with all of your heart is staring right back at you in the mirror. The best way to center yourself and fully appreciate the life you lead, is to give yourself something back. Do something that makes you happy. Go for a run. Take a hot bath (with candles and bubbles!). Eat a decadent meal (or a meal of just your favorite things…even if that means strictly appetizers or cupcakes with pink frosting).

2.) Do something spontaneous! Remind yourself how exciting and unpredictable life can be. Get in the car and head to a new destination. A new restaurant. A scenic drive. Skiing. Hiking. The city! Be adventurous and get yourself motivated!

3.) Go back to your first love…family! Visit with family members. Go home. Let mom cook you dinner (she probably knows your favorites better than anyone). If you are too far from family, call them. Spend some quality time letting the important people in your life know you love them and are thinking about them on this day of love.

4.) Seek out love. If it means renting every classic romantic comedy and fully immersing yourself in what your ex-boyfriend called “make believe,” do it! Drench yourself in all kinds of sappy, sickeningly sweet movies and books. Actively bring it into your life.

5.) Smile. Nothing brings forth happiness and contentedness more than a sense of joy. The Secret is all about the law of attraction. Who are we to doubt something that is rooted in positive affirmations? Wouldn’t the world be a better place if more people smiled and went with the flow? What does anger and frustration really do for you? So even if you are feeling down in the dumps, have just ended a relationship, lost your job and truly believe that Valentine’s Day exists for the sole purpose of making you miserable…SMILE! I guarantee your spirits will be lifted.

With my new goal to focus more attention on this blog, I am realizing that the benefit of such a task is the constant searching for topics to write about. I am finding myself both more observant of my surroundings and more curious. Yesterday, while wandering the aisles of Barnes & Noble, I noticed a man walking with a cane. Immediately my heart broke for this man. He was stooped over, the rubber foot on his cane was worn at an angle from constant use and his facial expression looked heavy under the weight of what I presumed to be his overwhelming sadness.

But I was projecting that on to him. What I realized upon further reflection, and when he passed me about 15 more times during my visit to the store, was that this was a man who was out and about, perusing bookstore shelves. He was looking at magazines, bestsellers, sale books. He wasn’t sitting at home feeling sorry for himself. He was interacting with the world. He wasn’t letting his handicap slow him down for a second.

We create our happiness. We can either feel sorry for ourselves and wallow in self-pity, or we can pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and jump into life. We need to take advantage of every opportunity to learn, grow, and expand our social circles. There are times when most of us would like to stay in bed all day and avoid our hectic lives, but then what are you left with? No stories. No adventures. No discoveries whatsoever. Life is meant to be lived and this man, with his cane and his limp, is living his life. The worn rubber foot of the cane initially filled me with sorrow because it meant years of using that same cane to navigate a treacherous world. But looking at it from a different angle, I can see that that man has been using his cane! He hasn’t been sitting down, waiting for the end. He has been getting up and getting out, in whatever way he can. God gave him a cane and he is using it and not letting it slow him down or stop him on his pursuit of a life well-lived.

Last night my dinner with friends brought us to Chinatown in Boston. We tried very hard to have “authentic” Chinese food and not the Americanized version. I am partial to the American version of Chinese food. I like my lo mein, fried rice and chicken fingers. What can I say, I’m a purist. But one of my dinner companions is actually from China, so he knew exactly what to order that would send our culinary vision of Chinese food spinning.

The meal started with our waiter bringing a live crab to our table for us to “inspect” and moments later the crab was seasoned, spiced and fried. I wish I could say that I ate it and it was the most delicious culinary experience of my life. Nope. I’m a wimp. I stuck with my noodles and rice and watched everyone else venture through unknown territory. Do I wish I was more adventurous? Sure. Was I happy with my noodles and rice? You bet!

Sometimes it’s fun to just be a part of something daring, to witness it and take in your surroundings without actually jumping in feet first. I’m more than happy taking it all in.

Three blog posts in one day! Hopefully this is a sign of consistency to come!

I didn’t run yesterday or today and am feeling it! Not physically, actually my heel has been hurting a little so it feels good to give it a little rest, but emotionally and psychologically.

It’s amazing how running has turned into my own private therapy. There is something about the rhythm and consistency of one foot in front of the other, combined with upbeat music that really helps me sort through all of the emotions and obstacles that I face on a daily basis.

I also get most of my inspiration during my runs. As a publicist, I am always thinking of interesting and creative angles to pitch my authors to various media outlets. Not only does the mind-wandering time allow me to come up with some pretty creative pitches but flipping through the news channels also keeps me abreast on all of the hot topics in the media.

So I guess you could say I am a big fan of running.

I know, I know..two posts in a row, no pictures. I’m sorry! I’m just not in a tech-y mood. I don’t feel like uploading pictures, formatting the post so that it looks “just right.” I’m in a pull the covers over your head and pray for a good chick flick on tv because there is no way I am facing the winter chill outside my own front door kind of mood.

I feel like I have been on a treadmill lately with regards to work. Non-stop. I love it and it inspires and fuels me daily, but sometimes you just need a little break.

I feel so badly that I haven’t posted here in forever. Unfortunately, I have been spreading myself way too thin and doing about a million things at once. Sadly, this is the spot that seems to have suffered the most.

I promise I will be back to regular blogging soon!