it's been awhile...

I haven't posted in a while because it's been crazy busy. Last week was my birthday and this past weekend my best friend came to visit. It's been a lovely week that I wish never ended. Now it's back to my regular life of finding a job, trying to stay positive, and of course finishing my summer list.

My birthday was wonderful! I spent my usual Wednesday by going to the art museum and then just spending time with family ending with a delicious dinner at Bosley! For a girl who misses good southern food (not the fried artery clogging food but mouth watering seafood) Bosley is heaven.
This past weekend my best friend came to visit and while it wasn't perfect it was still a lot of fun! We last saw each other over a year ago and it was too long. It was a weekend of shopping and sushi, home cooked dinners and drinks, and of course a Brewer's game. For a New Yorker the sausage races and 7th inning stretch with a polka is an experience. It also helped that Bratwurst bobble heads were given away at the door. The weekend just reminded me how important friends are and that seeing them once a year is not enough.

It's almost the end of July and that means summer is almost 2/3 of the way done. And that also means that August is the last month to complete my summer list. I'll check on my progress August 1st.

true beauty...

Why aren't there photobooths like this anymore? They should be everywhere! I've seen some new ones but they don't have the same quality as these old ones. This is my grandmother back in the 40s in New York City. I've been looking at a lot of old family photos recently and am trying to scan all of them and put together a digital album. A lot of these photos are damaged and I'm trying to preserve them digitally. It's not the same as the old photos in your hand but it's a start.

10 ways to enjoy doing nothing...

I picked up the August issue of Real Simple magazine today and found the best article that is right up my alley. It's called "10 ways to enjoy doing nothing" by Tom Hodgkinson, editor of The Idler and author of How to Be Idle.

1. Banish the guilt. "... Aristotle, had praised the contemplative life, and the monks spent a lot of time just praying and chanting. Guilt for doing nothing is artificially imposed on us by a Calvinistic and Puritanical culture that wants us to work hard. When you understand that it hasn't always been this way, it becomes easier to shake it off."

2. Choose the right role models. "Most of the great musicians and poets were idlers. So feed yourself a diet of John Lennon, Oscar Wilde, Walt Whitman, and the like."

3. Sketch a flower. "The act of drawing makes you observe the bloom in a way you never have before. All anxieties fly away as you lose yourself in close study. And at the end of it you have a pretty little sketch."

4. Go bumbling. "Bumbling is a nice word that means 'wandering around without purpose.' ... Try making a deliberate effort to slow down your walking pace. You'll find yourself coming alive, and you'll enjoy simply soaking in the day."

5. Play the ukulele. "The ukulele is the sound of not working."

6. Bring back Sundays. "Many religions still observe a Sabbath, whether it's Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. ... Take that ancient wisdom to heart and declare at least one day of the week as a do-nothing day. Don't clean the house or do the laundry; don't get in the car. Stay home and eat chocolate and drink wine. Be kind to yourself."

7. Lie in a field. "... do some good by taking a break from 'doing' and go and lie on your back in a field. Listen to the birds and smell the grass."

8. Gaze at the clouds. "Go outside and look up at the ever changing skies and spot the cirrus and the cumulonimbus."

9. Take a nap. "To indulge in a siesta after lunch is the most wonderful luxury: It softens tempers and guards against grumpiness."

10. Pretend to meditate. "For us westerners, meditation is an accepted way of doing nothing. Tell everyone you're going to meditate, then go into the bedroom, shut the door, and stare out the window or read or lie down for half an hour. You have excused yourself from household tasks and can indulge in contemplation, reflection, and that underrated pleasure, thinking, without fear of disapproval."

Thank you Tom Hodgkinson for making it okay to do nothing!

the great circus parade...

The Great Circus Parade is in town this year after a 6 year hiatus. For the past few days they have been camped out at Veteran's Park and I went on Thursday to go see what the fuss was all about.

I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of the circus. I like the magical childish image in my head but I know that it's not true. I know the animals are mistreated and hurt but I can't help but go. I'm fascinated by the old wagons they used in the parades (like in Dumbo) and of course the elephants! I had to go see the elephants. To my surprise there was a baby elephant. My heart just broke to see them there and I wanted to set them all free. Same for all the other animals they had there. I only wish people would treat animals with kindness. Elephants are not stupid beings, they are very smart and have an incredible memory. Elephants can be separated for years and then recognize each other when reunited. So it's not hard to imagine that elephants could learn to do the tricks for the circus without being stabbed or whipped. If only people realize this maybe the circus would be different.

Well the wagons were something to see. Beautiful magical wagons that are like something out of Dumbo or a child's book.

hippo birdie....

My birthday is coming up this month and I have been trying to update wish lists on several websites for friends and family to choose from. This year (like the past couple) I have no specific wishes. Honestly, it could just pass by and I wouldn't notice. My big dream would be to have a fabulous party with all my family and friends but we are all scattered across the country that it's impossible.

So I was browsing my favorite sites online and updating my wish lists and of course had to make a stop at Anthropologie.com to drool over everything. Of course there are several home items that I love and want and thought to share.

1. I have always wanted a cute apron. I love to bake and do the big holiday dinners and an apron has been dearly missed the past few years.

2. I LOVE elephants, and of course when I saw an elephant bottle opener I got way excited. I'm getting this no matter what!

3. Tea for one! I love it. I never make a full pot for myself and why fuss with the tray and a cup, pot, sugar and creamer? I say compact is cuter and so much more efficient. And who doesn't love that color.

4. There's something very Tim Burton about this bird that I just love. I want a whole collection.

5. I need this bed! No joke. I need to have this bed. I'm not a huge fan of the head or foot boards but the canopy is to die for! I can live with the rest. I just want to feel like I'm sleeping in a forrest in the comfort of my own home.