New Year Resolutions

I added an image! I can't believe how easy it was, or how long it took me to getting around to it.

I think, honestly, the reason I didn't even try to figure it out sooner was because it would mean I'm actually doing something instead of thinking about it.

Example: I started 2 blogs, but didn't do much with them. This attempt was renewed around the time I saw the movie Julie&Julia. When you watch that movie it makes you want to do 1 or all of three things; move to another country, cook something, start a blog. But if you've noticed, my posts have been few and far between. There are so many things that I want to do in life but never try. Why am I like this?

Because the movie of my life in my head is so much easier. I recently had a conversation with the guy I'm in love with about the possibility of moving abroad. And to be truthful, the idea scares the living crap out of me. In my head I am adventurous, carefree, cultured, admired by everyone I meet. My real life is barely anything resembling this fantasy. I am a thinker, a dreamer, a person of many words but who doesn't talk much about all the weird stuff that goes on in her head.

My boyfriend is a doer, a try-it-outer, a what-the-heck-sounds-like-fun kinda guy. I like to think that God put us together to balance each other out. Put it this way, he challanges me to go beyond my comfort zone.

So my new year resolution? It might take a lifetime.

To be a life doer, a thought sharer, a new tryer, a courage writer, moment soaker, now liver, space maker, people lover, beauty seer, time giver, truth chaser, love catcher, dream singer, joy laugher, norm changer, planet traveler, God shower, peace bringer, fear smasher.

Haha, have i mentioned that I'm an idealist? Aim high.

And you, dear blog, whether anyone reads you or not, will be part of my journey.

some days i feel like Angelina Jolie

after about 3 months i finally finished my curtains. they look great and completely transform my apartment. yeah, the hem is kinda crooked on the bottom but i'm going to take my mawmaw's advice and switch those with the ones in my bedroom (the bottom hem will be hidden by my bed)!

now if i could just get some picture frames and some of the fantastic pictures i found on etsy.com. i really love that site but i have to be careful with so many beautiful pieces of art and a limited budget.

in other news: i've recently developed an obsession with Bollywood. almost every night i'm watching a new movie. it started with Jodhaa Akbar (AMAZING MOVIE if you haven't seen it, which you probably haven't) and now i'm a hardcore Hrithik Roshan fan. i'm expecting 2 new movies in the mail this week from amazon (used merchandise from amazon, another possible vice).

the weather has turned colder (thank you God). here's hoping the Sweater Weather sticks around for a while.

finally, i also recently sponsored 5 children from World Vision. i'm very excited. they're from all around the world and they are beautiful! i can't wait to get their pictures in the mail and start writing letters to them! if you've never considered sponsoring a child but you want to do some good in the world, please, please consider it. for only 35 dollars a month you could change their lives forever. i can't really explain why but helping them and building a relationship with them makes me feel more alive and joyful than i have in a long time. i dream that one day i might be able to visit all of them. if you want to learn more here is the website:

worldvision.org

my next goal: figure out how to post pictures on here and then actually do it.

i painted a bookshelf. i cooked honey glazed chicken with rice. i'm making curtains. so far i have one set almost finished. it's turning out to be a little more challenging than i thought, but totally worth it! i get to be creative AND save money! it makes me feel very badass to do all these things by myself.

i've decided that most everything will be second hand or handmade by me. this is good for my wallet and i love the idea of creating my home. my colors are cream and white (the walls and some furniture), dark brown (curtains and some other furniture), with accents of yellow in every room. have i mentioned how stoked i am?

this sunday, i'm going to buy a couch from IKEA. perhaps even a tv table. i'm very excited about the prospect of having adequate seating and being able to invite guests over without having them sit on the floor. my other big news is that i went to the local secondhand shop on my way home from work today and i found several pieces that are just what i'm looking for and all for less than 200 dollars!

anyway, i'll try to post pictures as that comes along. but for now i'm going to make a list. i am the Queen of the List Makers. did you know that we are a people? totally true. anyway, the list:

Things that Grown-ups Have:

(disclaimer: this may not be true for ALL grown-ups, i have little knowledge of male grown-ups, therefore these findings may be biased. also it's not really stuff like insurance or mortgages, it's the little details that add something to your style as a person)

1. stationary: i actually own some. i don't mean it has to have roses and teddy bears on it, but something to write notes or letters on that wasn't just ripped out of a spiral notebook.

2. candles: who knows when the electricity will go out? or when there might be an atrocious smell to deal with? grown-ups are prepared with candles. i just ordered one today from a kid with a school fundraiser booklet. (that made me really feel like an adult)

3. real silverware: not the plastic stuff or the round kind with the colorful handles. i mean, honest-to-God flat silverware. the kind that's sturdy and doesn't bend when you stab your food. in this case, i've always been an adult because i've never liked any other kind.

4. picture frames: teenagers and college kids have posters in their room. grown-ups have framed pictures. even if those pictures were previously posters adorning college dorms. stick them in a frame and presto! instant grown-up. if it doesn't have a frame it had better be actual art, which doesn't always require framage. i have posters but i refuse to put them up until i get the proper accessories.

that's all i can think of for now. though i'm sure there's more. pictures soon ! (i hope)

accumulate:–verb (used with object)

1.	to gather or collect, often in gradual degrees; heap up: to accumulate wealth.

so i'm finally moving. you didn't know i was going anywhere did you? that's because i haven't posted in a while and have been running around like mad trying to get things done or have been too wiped and/or lazy to update. here's the scoop:

i have a job!

i have an apartment!

it comes with a washer and dryer!

i have stuff for my kitchen!

i have hardly any furniture but i do have a really nice piano!

i'm moving in tomorrow!

i can't wait to get things all settled into their nooks and cabinets. my only concern is that i'll try to do too much too fast. like buy a couch and a dining set and a toaster oven and paint the walls (i still want red but i'm reconsidering) and to have a garden on my little balcony. to have rooms that have style without being too matchy matchy, instead of just random stuff that doesn't have any style or match for that matter like i have now.

the problem is i have this image in my head where i have colored walls with lots of artwork on them and comfortable furniture and candles and christmas lights and curtains and everything cozy and the truth is...it's all a long way off. my best friend's mom once told her that it took her 20 years to get their house looking the way she wanted it (it's amazing btw). so my new mantra has become "you have to accumulate your life". i'm not just going to go out and buy something uninteresting that i don't absolutely love just because i want to have things NOW. i can wait. i can search for that perfect painting or that couch i adore or that wall color that will make me feel better after a long day. and better yet, all of my new "stuff" will hopefully have a story or a memory attached to it, not just a "yeah i got that at walmart". living life in the now is hard but knowing that i'm going to accumulate life as it comes makes everything worth it.

Making It Work

sorry that this post is so long overdue! however i am really excited about sharing some ideas for how to sieze the opportunities that NOT having all the money in the world can afford (huzzah for puns!) here are a few ideas for each of the opportunities i mentioned in the previous post. i'm sure there are far more.

Creativity:

so you've got a lot of free time on your hands and not much money to fill it with. maybe even no job. congratulations, millions of cubicle drones hate your guts! now is the time to live the creative life! what have you always wanted to do? are you interested in art? playing an intrument maybe? have you always dreamed of being a _______ but never had the time? get to it! there are several activities that cost little or no money at all. and if you have to buy something for your new hobby, chances are you can find a great deal on getting whatever it is secondhand. check out local colleges and universities for left over art supplies or empty practice rooms for pianos. just be sure to ask first! and many people have old cameras if you want to try photography.

Relationships:

dinner parties are a great way to save money and kick back a few great hours with friends. ask everyone to chip in or throw a potluck. combine it with a game night and you'll have lots of fun. most people have board games or cards lying around. and it's even more fun when it's a weekly event. i have friends who get together once a week for game night. myself and 2 other friends have what we called "two-movie-tuesdays" where we would get together and choose two movies from our dvd collections to enjoy. try to focus on the conversations and the experiences rather than "going out". think about it, usually when people hang out together they mean they eat at the same restaurant and sit next to each other for 2 hours at the movies then go home. don't get me wrong, i love movies but i'm starting to appreciate the time i've spent with good friends even more.

Healthy Lifestyle:

the next time you're grocery shopping don't buy any instant meals. buy things you actually have to cook. number one, it's generally healthier. number two, it's also usually cheaper. and number three it lasts longer. when i lived in a college dorm with a mini fridge all my food was the frozen kind that you popped in the microwave. it was expensive and boring. when i finally moved into an apartment i was amazed that i could buy food that cost less but could be used for several meals, like rice for example. it helps if you know how to cook but if you don't invite a friend over to teach you or google it, i'm sure you'll find something. if you usually work out at a gym, cancel your membership and take to the road. excercise is free and DOES NOT actually require machines. and now you don't have to walk into a room full of muscular onlookers while you sweat it out on the eliptical. and as far as conservation of water and energy goes, come on...you already know how to "go green". unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years.

Alternatives:

this is my favorite part! here goes...

tv- cancel cable and keep the internet! most major networks (ABC, NBC, CBS) post all their shows online the next morning. the news can be found online as well. also hulu = awesomeness.

movies - chances are you can learn to live without it. try to go to the actual cinema only if it is a movie that you are desperate to see on the big screen. (that means if your friends want to see a movie that you have no interest in whatsoever, it's perfectly ok to say no. and you'd better say no) you can wait for the dvd. and when the dvd is out you can either A: watch it at a friend's or borrow it from them, B: rent it, or C: wait about a year and you can get it for $10 or less at Blockbuster. also hulu = awesomeness

books- libraries still exist, go get a card. you have friends, borrow! or (great idea) create a community library. some friends and i who share similar interests are doing that this summer. each person writes their name in their books and then we put them all together to "check out".

shopping- you'd be suprised at what you can find at a dollar store. check it out. if you want different clothes learn to operate a sewing machine and make your own or alter what you have. swap clothes with friends.

music- mix tapes anyone? i found some of my old radio tapes from when i was in junior high and loved listening to them again. and check out online playlists that you can create for free. i love doing that. it's like itunes but i don't have to go broke. the one that i used is playlist.com, the only time you can't listen to these is in the car. that's why God invented radios.

FAVORITE TIP: have you ever wanted to have better personal style or interior design but you don't have the time or the money to take classes and Stacy and Clinton are not around? use what you already own: your movie collection! i've seen so many movies where i admire a characters style or apartment. COSTUME DESIGNERS and SET DESIGNERS are the best in the business! take notes while you watch your favorite movies then look for ways to implement their styles in your own life!

Generosity:

i save all the change i get when i use cash and put it in a piggy bank that i give to charity. it encourages me to spend cash and i get to help someone else. those coins really add up. and yeah, i could use it to send myself on a cruise to the bahamas (in 10 years) or i could take that small bit and send it where it's needed. even if you just spare a couple of small bills to give to someone on the street it will do good. you'll feel good too :)