Closet Swap Prep

This weekend is the annual closet swap and getting prepared is well...hard work. Try it on, take it off, try it on with a different pair of pants, take it back off. Suck, squeeze, stuff....

Here is what my closet looked like a quarter way into the process

And here are the things that ended up in the swap (just my stuff - there will be 13 other girls adding to the pile on Saturday):

Why can't I get rid of hoodies?

My closet now!

And I put this little number together with contributions from +Ashley Keene and Mary - hey, it pays to have a sister who lets you go through her bags before the masses! And friends who contribute even when they can't be here. It took me a good ten minutes to figure out how to actually put this shirt on, but once I did I was a fan :) I also have a pile of 'ummm, is this ugly or can I get away with it' to ask my bff +Ashley Keene about sometime before the party. Although, there is a very real possibility she will lie and then claim the goods for herself.

And here are some of my faves that are up for grabs this Saturday:

True Religion, Citizens of Humanity, Hollister, Free People
 

Paying it forward...again :)

This one should prove easier than my 33 acts of bday kindness last year as I have a whole year to complete only five :) Thanks for the idea Pat!

To start this year off in a loving way I'm participating in the Pay-it-Forward initiative... The first five people who comment on this status with "I'm in" will receive a surprise from me at some point in this calendar year- anything from a book, a ticket, a visit, something home-grown or made, a postcard, absolutely any surprise! There will be no warning and it will happen when the mood comes over me and I find something that I believe would suit you and make you happy.

These five people must make the same offer in their FB status and distribute their own joy. Simply copy this text onto your profile, (don't share) so we can form a web of connection and kindness.

Let's do more nice and loving things for each other in 2014, without any reason! 

My 5 peeps so far:
1. Stephanie (previous student of mine from way back - glad to see I still have contact with some of them and that they are people with kind big hearts) 

 2. Ladonna (my cousin - La, I am taking your 'i like surprises' comment as your assent to participate)

3. Ashley +Ashley Keene (my sister - I thought more people would respond and I worried you would be mad you didn't make the cut - glad you did! It will just give me an excuse to spoil you at a time other than a holiday or bday)

State Love Stamper

4. Amy (one of my besties from college)  

Friendship Bangle from Alex and Ani

5. John +John Kleinoeder (colleague and friend) 

I miss the 80's

Earlier this week I posted on FB that I missed the days of mixed tapes. I just keep thinking back to how much time and effort when in to making that special compilation of songs for your significant other (these might include tracks by Boys II Men, Air Supply, NKOTB, and Chicago among others),  a friend going through a breakup (think your typical girls' anthems - I Will Survive or basically anything off of Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill), a girls night out get ready mix (Lil Kim's Ladies Night comes to mind), etc.

I mean, really, who puts that kind of thought into gifts these days. Now it's a bottle of wine and a scented candle from Bath and Body Works. Not that those are bad gifts (shit, I give them all the time myself), but how much better would those be if they came accompanied by a well thought out playlist to match your mood and circumstance.

Did anyone hold on to any of these old gems from long ago? If so, I'd love to hear what titles made your tape :) I have some itunes credits I need to use up...

"Let's go to the movies...let's go see the stars" ~Annie

Last night I watched Bad Teacher. The movie is basically about...yep you guessed it - a teacher, Ms. Halsey, whose pedagogy/instructional delivery is sub-standard at best, but pretty close to non-existent. Said teacher shows her students movies each day of class while she nurses hangovers and schemes up ways to save for her new tits. I felt chastised, like her students, at her shock that I had never seen her first movie selection, Stand and Deliver. Am I alone here? Has everyone else already seen this? (Actually, now that I think about it I may be in the minority considering I have also never seen Star Wars, ET, the Matrix, or Lord of the Rings). So now, I ask you, friends what other gems are out there that I may have missed viewing? A brief synopsis and genre label would be helpful. Some of my faves (that I am shocked some of my family and friends haven't seen are listed below). The first two are oldies but goodies, and the last two are recent finds I came across channel surfing during our free HBO promotion:

1) Swing Kids (Drama) - Get your tissues out for this flick set in Nazi Germany and centered on two best friends that share a love for Swing music; unfortunately one of the two is accused of a crime and sent to Hitler’s youth army where propaganda eventually turns him against his own. 

2) The Story of Us (Romantic Comedy) - The story of a married couple undergoing a trial separation unbeknownst to their children who are away at summer camp. Rent it to see if they find their way back to one another or find happiness apart. 

3) People Like Us (Drama) - A total hottie (Chris Pine) who I didn't know existed until this movie returns home to attend his estranged father's funeral. While there he learns a shocking secret about his family's past that leads him on a journey he never expected. 

4) Seeking a Friend for the End of the World - Omg talk about depressing movies! The title pretty much explains the whole plot.  Steve Carell is as equally engaging in serious roles as he is in comic ones.

This freezing cold weather is perfect for movie marathons so list away (I have already seen Frozen twice in a week!) 

Here are the recommendations I got that I have not already seen:
1. Pan's Labyrinth
2. We are the Millers
3. The Internship
4. Dog Fight
5. Parental Guidance
6. Thor
7. The Holiday
8. The Proposal
9. Much Ado About Nothing
10. Love's Labor Lost
11. Nanny McPhee 1 
12. Nanny McPhee 2
13. Crazy Stupid Love
14. Silver Linings Playbook 
15. Hard Candy 
16. This is 40

"For last year's words belong to last year's language, and next year's words await another voice. To make an end is to make a beginning" - T.S. Eliot

So....it's been a rough year. And that, my friends, is an understatement. Problems on the home front, job security, numerous car debacles, and a general lack of motivation have plagued me this year. In spite of the inspiring quote above, yesterday seemed to still want to hold on to the language of last year as in my attempt to be more 'present' in the moment and take Liv to the Science Center (as opposed to hiding away in all things digital) ended in disaster as my car caused me yet more problems (which I am sure were intensified due to being rear-ended last week on my way home from celebrating Christmas...sigh).

Oh, and by the way - Science Center, not a huge fan - glad it cost me $44 to find that out (and that was with my free educator general admission)....okay okay enough negativity (see last year's voice keeps creeping in)...on to today and the hope that 2014 will prove everything that 2013 wasn't. In an attempt to fake it until I make it I am trying to adopt an attitude of optimism (although I seem to suck at this as well based on my phone convo. two minutes ago). Anyhow, for what it's worth, I have created a calendar of goals for the coming year:

1. Work out 4 times a week (and yes +Becca Horgan  the 4 minute pinterest work out does count - baby steps, after all). Goal weight: 112 (the anxiety and stress of the past year has caused me to drop close to 7 lbs. already so there's an upside)
2.  Eat dinner as a family 
3.  Be kind(er) 
4.  Pick a t.v. free activity to do with Liv each night 
5.  Devote a half hour a day to studying Spanish at least five days a week 
6.  Blog every Thursday 
7. Limit drinking (will also help me accomplish previous 6 goals...lol)
8. Read more (I added a 'book' page if anyone wants to engage in virtual book club :)
9. Walk Quinn more

P.S. +Ashley Keene  - I was going to use the phrase 'not for nothing' above, but after looking it up in urban dictionary it actually means something you are about to say is important not for 'what it's worth' as is commonly thought

Ok....well I'm off to workout (and yes, only the 4 minutes one)

New Year's Resolution to Read More

 

Bonus: super intrigued by previous owner's annotations - on title page previous owner, in really pretty handwriting, transcribes "You have to be beaten and broken by things before you can write about them" - V. Woolf to S. Spender

Great place to track what you've read, what you want to read, and who is reading what:
Goodreads