Playlist Wednesdays

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1. Everyone walks to a theme song.

2. Let's walk to an entire playlist.

3. Let's switch it up weekly.

4. Why not?

Umbrella Love Part 2

1. Something about umbrellas always gets me.

Could it be their mystery?

That protection we feel we can control?

The sense that, maybe after this, it will be okay?

The contrast of light to dark?

 

It's the Mary Poppins that always gets me.

That thought, "Maybe I could fly?"

Who could stop me?

Few can understand, but that is what Umbrella Love really is.

The Happiness Project Continues

My Picture of the day.

1. I've been attempting to be diligent about my Happiness Project. 

2. Happiness Assignments so far have been to organize my life and practice The Little Things.

3. I've been doing pretty well with The Little Things, though I have to admit that today's Picture of the Day is an old picture that I just turned black and white. Revamping counts, right?

4. I do have to give myself a major pat on the back though because I cleaned out my nightmare of a car and then organized my room (including the closet and under the bed!) and only kept the things that I really love.

5. It was a seemingly insurmountable feat, but I conquered it! 

6. I have to say, I feel great. This is truly adding to my happiness. 

7. I think I may start a Happiness Group (click here to learn more) in my hometown! 

Dear Etsy,

1. Dear Etsy, 

    Have I told you lately that I love you?

A Wise Map.

2. Etsy is my favorite place to find unique things. I love that normal people like me can make a living by being creative. Just out there doing what they love. 

3.

An Adorable Dog Dish.

4.

Handmade Plates

5.

Mini Journal

6.

Light the way.

7.

Rules to live by.

8.

True words.

9.

Vintage Hairpins

10.

A locket that's a work of art.

A Picture A Day

1. I've started on a Happiness Project recently, inspired by Gretchen Rubin's best selling book.

Check it out here.

2. First, you must pick twelve areas where you need improvement- areas that would make you the happiest if they were improved. These are your Twelve Commandments. Then, you pick one main goal a month to focus on and create daily challenges for yourself.

3. It's such a simple concept, why does it take a book to point it out?

4. For me at least, it's very easy to get caught up in the tide of every day life and forget to just stop and ask yourself why you are doing something. "Is this really making me happier?"

5. Obviously, you have to go to work, but if you have no children or no one who really depends on you- you have no excuse not to go after those activities that bring you the greatest joy.


6. So it takes someone like Gretchen, who incidentally does have two children to take care of, to shake you out of your self imposed "life-coma".

7. We're not zombies, but we are human and it's natural to get stuck. Stuck and complacent and sad that you aren't exactly where you want to be. Other people are. Why not you?

8. But sometimes you just have to accept The Big Things- the ones out of your control, and manipulate The Little Things.

9. Thanks to Gretchen, here are my Twelve Commandments:

A Dilettante's Twelve Commandments:

1. Practice "The Little Things".
2. Speak Up.
3. Stay Organized.
4. Act The Way I Want to Feel.
5. Love More.
6. Say, "Yes"- Be Brave.
7. Let Go.
8. Write.
9. Be Healthy.
10. Be Erica.
11. Volunteer.
12. Be nice.

10. Like I said, it's all very obvious. Regardless, it only counts if you follow through.

11. I started with "Practicing The Little Things." 

12. My first task for the month has been to take at least one picture a day. I love pictures, but rarely take them. 

13. Somehow, I only think of taking pictures when it's planned. For example, Moneek, Chris and I spent an entire day taking pictures at a park. Through the trails, walking down the dock, peeking through windows of an old building. 

14. And then there's "Obligation Pictures". Birthdays. Christmas. A friend of a friend's son's birthday party. 

15. The pictures I want are the "accidents". That moment when you're completely calm and you see something and wish you had a camera. Or wish that there was no one around to give you that questioning look. 

16. I've noticed that some Commandments are intertwined. By "Practicing The Little Things" inevitably I'm going to run into "Being Erica". Or rather, Becoming Erica.

In my own backyard. 

My Adorable Dog, Castor Troy.

17.  I've been doing great so far, but The Little Things are always the easiest, aren't they?

18. I leave you with today's quote that I found at the bottom of my journal page:

      

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breadth of kindness blow the rest away." -George Eliot.

19. What if he is talking not about another person, but of you doing that for yourself?

20. And I can't resist- here's a song that captures my mood too-

 

Om Nashi Me

1



2. I am loving this song. 


3. These are the lyrics:
Om nashi me
I love you
And I love you forever
And I’m loving you now


4. Simple and beautiful. More beautiful because they're simple? I think so.


5. Apparently, the phrase "om nashi me" is made up. According to Jade from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, "Alex made it up...but apparently it means, 'oh infinite nakedness' in sanskrit...even though we're not quite sure."


6. Valentine's Day day is just around the corner......

I actually already got this cute print for R. I can't wait til it gets here! 

7.  Some more ideas:

8. 

From CollageOrama. I am loving this shop on etsy.

9. 

How cute!

10. 

Love Birds

11. 

I may have a slight obsession with typewriters....

12. 

Fun.

13. 

 Do the Robot! Dodododododo

14. 

Coasters!

15. 

Hehe:)

16. Happy valentining!

Lively Lofts

1. R and I may be living in a loft by year's end. 

2. I hope it has wood beams.

3. And wood floors.

4. Perhaps a ladder or two.

5. Tall windows that invoke a feeling of stained glass.

6. Paper lanterns.

7. Vintage chandeliers.

8. Neapolitan buildings.

9. But most of all, coziness....

10......and lots of  books.

11. I am over the moon excited.
12. With a little nervousness sprinkled in. Don't tell:)

My Lifetime Listens to Yours

1. My new favorite quote.

2. My favorite boyfriend. Haha just kididng.

Two Years In A Top List

1. There are people who take the heart out of you and there are people who put it back. - Elizabeth David

2. Could she have known that one person could do both at different times?

3. R took it away years and years ago.

4. And last 4th of July, he put it back- with interest.

5. 

Amelie is in love with Nino.
He has just left.

A long, long time ago, that was me.

6. 

* Spoiler alert! If you haven't seen the wonderful movie Amelie, do not watch this clip!
7. Sometimes when you think it's the end, you're wrong.
    Sometimes Happy Endings exist. You may just have to wait six years and kiss a bushel of frogs.

It's Been Awhile, But I'm Home

Dear E,

It's been awhile, but I'm home. I would like to apologize with a song.