Navel Gazing

The whole idea of writing this post made me feel silly and self-centered. Navel gazing, as my dad likes to call it. In case you're wondering, dictionary.com defines navel gazing as: "excessive self-analysis and/or self-absorbed behavior." Ignoring my initial hesitation, I thought a good ol' navel gaze never hurt anybody, right? Taking a second every now and then to appreciate, or even celebrate, yourself is positive and healthy in my book. My brief moment of self-indulgence today came in the form of an unexpected urge to document my outfit. Clearly, I am no fashion trendsetter (not hip enough!), but will admit to a deep envy of those fashionistas out there with an effortless style, and the courage to blog about it, that seems to come so naturally. Not quite as natural for this girl. So it felt good to brush off the awkward discomfort for once; replacing it with a smile of (cheesy) acknowledgment.

Embarrassingly, putting this simple ensemble together this morning involved a lot of hemming and hawing in front of the closet, a change of tops three times, and a concentrated sift through my (limited) jewelry collection for the appropriate necklace. The result is certainly not exceptional, or really blog-worthy at all, but while hurriedly rushing out the door in the usual pre-work dash, I felt a small sense of pride well up. Pride in actually following through on a silly goal I set for myself earlier in the year to try to accessorize more often (blogged about here). Pride in discovering a fresh combo pairing of an old skirt and top to create a "new" outfit. Pride in taking a moment to appreciate and document the moment. But mostly--and this is where I really feel foolish as I type--pride in being me. Silly, but true.

Not the most profound revelation, but maybe this bout of navel gazing wasn't meant to produce some earth-shattering epiphany. Maybe it's simply a reminder to recognize, however briefly, the small moments in life that seem utterly mundane on the surface, but upon deeper inspection can be truly self-revelatory in the best way. Have you had any similar moments lately? Please share! There must be other navel-gazing weirdos out there like me, right? Right??

P.S. Please excuse my terribly ill-suited (and dusty!) Ikea mirrors for struggling to capture a full-size human being in one frame. Typical of those two.
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A Ball Of A Time

The Blue Hill Troupe Ball. The one night a year where it's socially acceptable to act like a high-schooler and relive your Prom. Without all the awkward photo poses and untimely zits! Yes, we're talking a full-on black tie affair; tuxes, cumberbunds, cuff links, floor-length gowns, and sparkly jewels dripping from every ear, neck and wrist. Ok, so maybe more Oscars than Prom. But a good time either way!

For those unfamiliar with The Blue Hill Troupe, it's a fantastic theater organization here in New York City that produces two Broadway musicals annually with all proceeds benefiting charity. The group is made up entirely of volunteer members--regular folks with 9-5 jobs who donate their time (mostly on weekends) to build, sew, drill, stitch, hammer, sing, and dance each show to life every Fall and Spring. A truly great group of people! As a member since 2008, I've met some wonderful friends in the Troupe and while I'm not as active in it as I once was, when February rolls around any Trouper worth their salt does not miss the Ball.

So last Saturday, Kevin and I squeezed into our very best duds and headed out to the fancy-shmancy Yale Club to dance the night away... 

We look like we went to Yale, right?

 

By the end, the heels were long gone, but that didn't stop my stocking'd feet. The sign of a good night!

 

We definitely did not take enough photos throughout the night--of the Yale Club, or the dessert bar, or the fancy outfits, or anything really (too busy dancing!), but there's always next year. Note to self for 2014: bring a real camera!

P.S. If you're in New York and want to check out the Troupe's spring show, Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado, buy tickets here!
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From My Heart To Yours

Happy Valentine's Day to all you love bugs out there! In spite of the cheesy hallmark nature of the holiday, I like to think of today as just another chance to tell your family, friends and loved ones that you heart them. So get to it! XO

Photo credit: StudioDIY

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Nerdy Life Goals

For someone who doesn't do resolutions, this post sure looks a lot like a list of resolutions. However, it's really more a bunch of longer-term goals and ideas that have been taking up a significant amount of space in my brain lately and refuse to vacate. Ding ding! They must be important to me. To e-ink and e-paper they go!

My Goals:

• Travel more. Whether it's two miles away or 2,000, I want to go/see/experience it.
• Visit my family more often. These days, the norm is seeing them at Thanksgiving, Christmas and 1-2 other times throughout the year. Unacceptable! Frequent flier miles here I come.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator in my apartment building every day. It's five measly flights, yet shockingly weeze-inducing.
• Blog more often. The process of putting my thoughts to digital paper and sending them out into the ether of the internet universe has become, to my surprise, something I truly enjoy. Carving out the time is the most difficult part.
• Cook/Bake more and try out new recipes. Also something recently discovered that I'm surprised to find I love. Plus, I already have an eager taste-tester waiting in the wings with Kevin!
• Take more pictures. My older and wiser self will look back at them some day and thank me.
• Work on being less of an emotional eater and more on constructively managing anxiety, pressure, and uncertainty (hello stress eating). Embarrassing to admit, but heck, we're all friends here right? If I can't say it to the faceless, anonymous walls of the interwebs, then when can I.

These are the biggies that have been rattling around my head. More to come I'm sure. What are some of YOURS?

Thanks for listening blogosphere!

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Braving The Elements

Winter is out in full force here in New York. Yesterday peaked at a balmy 15 degrees and that was the high for the day! With such frigid temperatures driving folks indoors, it would only make logical sense to make the best of days like this spent cozily in bed in my pjs watching old episodes of Lost, right? Not for this girl! Two pairs of socks, five layers of clothing, one knit hat and mittens, and one heavy coat later, I marched out my front door determined to "enjoy" the winter season along the Hudson River by my apartment. Whelp, let's just say I didn't last long -- the gale-force winds and instant runny nose got the best of me. However, the day was beautifully clear and crisp (too crisp!) and made for some fantastic photos... Which are best appreciated from the comfort of a duvet-covered bed with a steaming mug of hot chocolate!

Other brave souls

Itty bitty Statue of Liberty off to the left...

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Resolution Shmesolution

I've never been one for making New Year's resolutions. #1 I'm terrible at sticking to them, and #2 I struggle coming up with any in the first place. It's not that I don't have goals and aspirations for myself (I do?), but always end up drawing a blank on January 1st when the time comes to write down fully-formed, succinct sentences that encompass my plans for a whole calendar year. Daunting and overwhelming, it feels like a losing battle from the get-go.

That said, I do like the spirit of resolutions--the idea of a fresh start; a clean slate. The commencement of a new year offers the chance to re-asses, re-evaluate, re-examine where you are (that's a lot of "re-" words); figure out what's working or not working in your life and resolve to make any changes. As cheesy is it sounds, that little number 1 in front of the month at the beginning of a new year serves as a quiet reminder to check in with your inner-most self and make sure you're living the life you want to be living and are meant to. Cliche, but true. Isn't that why it's called a cliche?

With that in mind, upon stumbling across this little "4-Step Guide to Discovering Who You're Meant To Be" quiz from Ms. Oprah Winfrey, I thought No making a list of resolutions? Easy, basic questions to answer off the top of my head? The results of which will instantly reveal my true calling that's been hiding under my nose all this time? Perfect!

Not so fast, sister. Upon finishing filling in the questions, you're then supposed to go around the loop comparing the first answer to the second and choosing one over the other for which is more appealing to you (repeating this exercise around the entire loop four times, with the winning answer each time becoming your "top passions"). This part seemed a little hokey and far-fetched, and consequently lost my interest after a few times around the loop... So maybe I didn't actually finish the quiz, but what the heck, I still think simply going through the process of answering the questions themselves is a healthy exercise to get in touch with yourself. Admittedly, the exercise was harder than I anticipated. But in a good way. Try it. At the very least, you'll get a kick out of the answers that pop into your head first, and you never know, you could come to the miraculous conclusion that you are in fact meant to be a wildly famous and world-renowned jazz club singer crooning to adoring fans from atop a shiny baby grand piano. Wait, that's not everyone's dream too?

Here are my answers....

1. When I was a kid, I dreamed of:

Being a veterinarian. I think. I don't remember having a strong opinion on what I wanted to be when I grew up.

2. I can’t pass up a book or movie about:

Romance or Adventure

3. If I played hooky from work for a week, I’d spend the time:

One of two things. Traveling. Or, at the other end of the spectrum, puttering around the house relaxing, catching up on things that have been put off but need to get done, running errands, baking, etc. In general getting things in order because of hectic work/life schedule.

4. Most people don’t know this about me, but I really enjoy:

Baking from scratch.

5. I am the go-to person when my friends need help with:

Hmm, this is a tough one, I don’t think of myself as the “go-to” person for something in particular. Maybe for help with planning an event?

6. If I could star in my own how-to TV show, it would be about:

Fashion or Cooking/Baking. Or both!

7. If I were to make a homemade gift, it would involve:

Photos/scrap booking

8. I’ve tried it only once or twice, but I really enjoy:

Photography (obviously not the iPhone variety, but true photography with shutter speeds and the late afternoon light and even dark rooms)

9. The closest I come to a runner’s high is when I’m:

…Running? That’s actually not true, I’ve never understood that whole “runner’s high” thing when it comes to actual running. After about 3 miles in, I’m pooped and ready to quit – I never seem to be able to reach the “runner’s high” plateau everyone talks about. But, I digress. My answer to this question would probably be either the euphoria of stepping off-stage after having performed in front of a live audience (last time was in high school/college plays and musicals) or the physical endorphins-high of adrenaline after a great workout where I feel on top of the world and ready to take on anything.

10. If I won first prize in a talent show, it would be for:

Singing, I suppose. Not sure what other talents I am that great at that I would win a talent contest for.

Want to try it out for yourself? Take the test here.

Whatever life brings in 2013, whether big or small, I look forward to embracing it all with joy and laughter. Plus, if things start going south, at least I know I have that career as a jazz nightclub singer to fall back on.

2013 - let's do this!
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A New Year's 2-For-1 Special

Happy 2013! With all the last minute gift-shopping, celebrations, and traveling over the past couple of weeks, I thought why not squeeze two posts into one to cover everything. A New Year's Two-fer special! Who doesn't love a good post-holiday deal this time of year, right?

The fam and I (sans Mom & Dad due to an unwelcome stomach bug; we missed you!) spent Christmas as we've done for the past couple of years, up at the Anderson's beautiful, cozy, quintessentially-winter cabin in Babbitt, Minnesota. The cabin, which is about a four-hour drive North of the Twin Cities, is tucked away in the snowy woodlands of "North Country" perched atop the edge of a pristine lake, offering the most breathtaking winter wonderland views you can imagine. So breathtaking in fact, that I forgot to take any pictures to share with you :) I did however, capture some moments of our weekend... Thank you Kosha and Skeeter as always for being such amazing hosts and opening up your beautiful home!

Could this face be any cuter??

Walkin' in a winter wonderland....

Carly was having some trouble with her boot. Baby bump got in the way. Justin to the rescue!

Twice-baked potatoes!

Painting our nails. One of the many "inside activities" we did.

Now for Part Two...New Year's Eve! Ringing in 2013 was one of the most memorable NYE's for me because we spent it at the Coldplay/Jay-Z concert at the newly-built Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Making our way into the shiny new stadium along with 19,000 of our closest friends, we found our seats just off the left side of the stage, with amazingly no one in front of us which is a huge win for 5'3" me (we were at the very front of our section)! As a massive Coldplay fan who has never seen them live before, I loved every minute of the concert as the band played hit after hit off almost all of their albums. Following their set, Jay-Z came on just before 12:00, counting down the crowd to the New Year with a mass of confetti and balloons bursting from the rafters at the stroke of midnight. A New Year's Eve to remember, that's for sure! 

Getting excited!

Look at us! In our seats!

Coldplay on stage

Jay-Z and Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin rocking it out together!

A sea of light-up wristbands. So cool!

Wristbands unite.

Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy 2013!
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