Thursday, September 19, 2013

-ing.

A good idea for a list from The Daybook.  Here's my take:

Making: time for my friends, time for contemplation
Cooking: quinoa and veggies, balanced out with baked goods
Drinking: Americanos with hazelnut simple syrup and a splash of cream.  Keeps me alert but not edgy. 
Reading: Rick Steves' European travel guides, articles from The Atlantic, Huffington Post
Wanting: too many things (a Mini Cooper, a new wardrobe, someone to snuggle with as the weather gets colder)
Looking: at too many screens too frequently
Playing: with barbells and dumbbells and kettlebells at CrossFit three times a week
Wasting: time. more than I'd like to admit.
Sewing: nothing at the moment, but I've been working on knitting a scarf...
Wishing: for a restful night of sleep.
Enjoying: the change in seasons.  layers, and boots, and sweaters, oh my!
Waiting: for October 17.  with bated breath.
Liking: anything involving cinnamon.
Wondering: what traveling alone will really be like and who I might meet.
Loving: those nights on the porch with my roommates, fulfilling talks with my lady friends, learning that it's ok to not have everything figured out right now
Hoping: for definite answers instead of murky, confusing reasoning for certain questions
Marveling: at the way the light changes this time of year.  The Golden Hour is dripping with warmth.
Needing: to learn some basic German, Italian, and French...ASAP!
Smelling: fires burning at sunset, spiced muffins being baked, the leaves starting to turn
Wearing: cream sweater, burgundy cropped trousers, and taupe heels with mixed metal accessories. 
Following: the beat of my personal drummer.
Noticing: white hairs.  IT'S TOO SOON.
Knowing: that I am the only one who can ask for what I want/need.
Thinking: about love, about swapping out my warm/cold clothes, about taking a nap.
Feeling: sleepy.
Bookmarking: hostel options and travel advice blogs.
Opening: myself up to new ideas and experiences. 
Giggling: more frequently with my best girls.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

go all the way with what matters.

A few months ago, I decided that I was done putting off doing certain things in my life.  Now that I'm nearing the ripe old (young!) age of 30, it seems silly to pretend like I have all the time in the world; none of us do, but we often tell ourselves that we'll do it "when we have time" or "when there isn't so much going on" or "when I've done X, then I can do Y".  I've decided that there's no time like the present to work towards doing all the things I want in life.

I went skydiving back in July:


Totally worth the expense to see the world from that height.  I surprised myself by actually doing it, too.

Next on my list?  Travel.  To Western Europe.  In ONE MONTH!  Where am I headed?

Vienna:
Vienna Opera House


To Florence:
Michelangelo's David

Florence, with Il Duomo on the right hand side.
To Paris:
I keep promising myself that eating crepes and pastries everyday won't be so bad since I'll be walking all over...

Sacre-Coeur.  Sigh.
And lastly, to London:

I'm a nerd.  What of it?
I'm hoping to meet the Brit of my dreams over there.  Tom Hiddleston, are you ready for me?

I'm so thrilled to finally be going through with this.  I've taken 11 days off from work in late October (which is a very slow time of year in our office), and will be spending a total of 16 days across the Atlantic.  I'm hoping to keep anyone who's interested apprised of what I'm up to while I'm there.  In the meantime, many of my posts between now and then will be travel related; I'm hoping you'll follow along.  And if you have any tips for me, please feel free to send them my way! 

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

seize the day.

thrifted oxford; Old Navy skinnies (OLD); Steve Madden sandals; Warby Parker frames

thrifted Theory shirt; LOFT cropped skinny pants; Me Too heels



I'm back with more Instagramed photos, you guys.  As the weather has been starting to cool down a bit, I've really been digging the ease of tomboy dressing.  There's something really nice about throwing on a button down and some pants and hitting the road.  I know most women would accessorize more heavily to counter the masculine nature of this sort of styling, but I've always been minimal when it comes to jewelry and continued to follow that mentality here.  I will say that something about dressing this way makes me feel kind of like a kid in the movie, "Newsies".  It's probably the cropped pants.