Life-FINAL

Make the bold move

~ Lydia ~ Leave a comment

fa97ca57b39c9f89479573f862d03ba6Screen shot 2013-04-16 at 1.18.26 PM

In the past week I’ve been encouraged to make bold moves in both my personal and professional life.

Professionally, I’ve made bold moves in my life before and frankly many of those did not work out. They resulted in disappointing emails, a lack of a returned call, and hours spent refreshing my inbox hoping for good news. Conversely, I’ve made some bold moves that have worked out. And those resulted in a career path change for the better, moving into a position I love and more returned emails and phone calls. I’m a relatively confident person when it comes to knowing my aptitudes, strengths and weaknesses. I’m self aware and openly admit the places where I need to improve, but also work to accentuate those areas in which I excel. Typically, I feel I can accurately assess the outcome of a bold move, therefore making these moves much less scary and more calculated.

In the personal life it is much more difficult to make those bold moves. Although the feeling of rejection from a dream job is heartbreaking, few things compare to true heartbreak. When you get turned down for a job or even just something at work didn’t pan out, it can shake your confidence level a bit. I know for a fact my confidence level was in the pits when I was applying for positions in a field I had no experience in. But when it comes to the heart, the implications stick with you so much longer. The lasting effects shape how you deal with future romantic encounters, even if you don’t know it is happening. Matters of love can’t be calculated, planned or schemed. They just happen. Emotions and feelings can’t always be explained nor predicted.

I missed an opportunity recently to make a bold move in my personal life, and I am disappointed in myself. I allowed past events to hang a dark cloud over my present and I never want this to happen again. On the professional side it is so much easier. Your confidence level might get shaken one day, and the next you’re getting assigned a new project that puts the spring in your step.

So this week I am encouraging myself to make a few bold moves in both my personal and professional life. To not let fear hold me back or shake me. I think we should ask ourselves “why not?” and realize those excuses you start listing off are simply that – excuses. In the words of Nike, Just DO it because this feeling of disappointment in myself for not making a move is not one I want to be very acquainted.

Appreciating the here and now

~ Sarah ~ 1 Comment

rita schiano thankfulness quote

I lost it in my car the other day.

Let’s back up. It had been a rough day at work, it was very late and for some reason there was traffic backing up my exit at 10 p.m. forcing me to take the back way through South Dallas to my apartment. Now, this is always tricky. I miss my unmarked turn home every time, ending up lost in the kind of area you don’t want to get lost in. I was determined that this would not be the case this time. No, this time I would see that turn coming. This time I would make it home in the same amount of time my phone tells me the trip should actually take.

This did not happen.

So I yelled and screamed in my car as I made the seemingly giant loop to get back around town to my apartment…and then I looked up to find the most beautiful bridge and view I think I can safely say in all of Dallas. It was like magic, driving into the darkness along the empty stone bridge lined with glowing, old-fashioned street lamps and a perfect view of the Dallas skyline peeking over the far edge. SO worth the detour.

Why am I telling you this? Ironically, less than 20 minutes earlier I had been telling my friends how I want to work on thankfulness. I realized I had somehow become immune to the blessings around me…life, other people, random little things and even personal gifts and talents. I committed to more actively appreciating situations and people throughout my day…and promptly resorted back to frustration the second something wasn’t going my way. Seeing that bridge put me in my place, reminding me of my commitment and calling out just how quick I was to forget it.

So now I’m telling you, too: I’m working on my thankfulness. There are so many things to appreciate about life, especially right now! Working on my appreciation is also a great way to keep me rooted in the present, to dream about the future without getting stuck in it. It never fails – whenever I look back on a time of my life, even one that frankly didn’t seem so great at the time, I think about how happy / meaningful / edifying it actually was. Wouldn’t it be awfully sad to later look back on this time so fondly and realize we didn’t appreciate it to the fullest when it was actually here?

Here’s some things I’m thankful for right now:

  • airline miles.
  • parents who have those miles to generously donate.
  • straws.
  • sunshine.
  • friends who wait for you despite 25 minutes of traffic.
  • pay day yesterday.
  • patios.
  • co-workers who genuinely like each other.
  • blogging.
  • free film screening tickets.
  • community.
  • my perfect apartment.
  • tv time with the roommates.
  • friends that tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.
  • sweet potatoes.
  • excited new home decor planning
  • carpooling.
  • dinner plans.
  • podcasts.

Oh, and if you ever have the chance to drive on the Corinth Street Bridge at night DO IT.

Kicking a sweet habit

~ Sarah ~ 4 Comments

sprinkles cupcakes

Hello, my name is Sarah and I’m a functioning sugar addict. I was living in a world dictated by cravings that controlled when, how often and what I ate. I was never satisfied or “full” until having something sweet, no matter how small, after every meal. I couldn’t say no to food junk that was anywhere within about a 25-foot radius or if I was alone, stop eating it until it was gone, I felt sick or both. I say “functioning” because despite this weak spot, no, weak crater, I still ate relatively healthy, well-balanced meals and have always been one those much-hated people who maintain a pretty thin figure with low to moderate exercise. I know…disgusting.

I even–this is embarrassing–resorted to eating cookies for breakfast…on more than one occasion. Thinking back on those times I can’t help but hear Kate Winslet in my head from The Holiday scene where she sniffs stove gas after learning douchy Jasper is engaged, “Low point…low point!”

I’ve read plenty before how damaging sugar and even “healthy” or “natural” sugar substitutes can be on our health. So, after some fear and quite a lot of skepticism of my own willpower, I made the commitment to give up sugar for three months. That’s right, I haven’t eaten added sugar, dessert or even food with over 5 grams of sugar (if I could help it) since January 4.

Of course, I’ve been dreaming for April 1 to come around, trying to decide which dessert will be my first back in the game, and let’s not kid ourselves, is there really any competition where Sprinkles cupcakes are concerned?

Meanwhile, I was still dealing with quite a lot of compounding chronic issues that were really starting to bring me down physically, emotionally and mentally. After countless hours of research and doctor visits, I finally landed on some au natural health solutions that have made a HUGE difference in how I look and feel every day. In addition to taking about 16 supplements and drinking 90+ ounces of water a day, making my own soap with baking soda and rinsing each load of laundry with vinegar, this treatment plan also includes a strict (and temporary, thank God) diet. Interestingly MIRACULOUSLY enough, after not eating processed food, wheat/yeast, dairy, sugar and so much more for only just one week, my issues have all but vanished along with literally all my cravings (which people claim disappear when you just give up sugar, but mine held stubbornly intact).

So ironically, today would have been the first day I could eat sugar again, and I actually don’t even want any. Ladies and gentleman, this is what real freedom looks like.

Another fun side effect of this new diet is the unavoidable need to get creative in the kitchen. So I’ll be having some of those tasty results coming your way soon. In the meantime if this sounds familiar, you want to jump on my health bandwagon or are just plain curious here are my two favorite resources: I Quit Sugar by Sarah Wilson (the e-book) and Allergies: Disease in Disguise by Carolee Bateson-Koch.

quote - she believed she could so she did

My dream weekend

~ Sarah ~ Leave a comment

ten-broeck-by-messana-o-rorkeLow bed envy: 11 home inspiration photos

seattle sunsetSeattle dreaming: all the details on Seattle’s neighborhoods

Today my brain is all over the place, which makes it actually kinda the perfect weekend to have the boyfriend and two of my closest friends out of town.

This weekend I’ve got a date with myself. I’m going to hole up, read, think and journal. I keep coming back to a conversation I had last weekend about settling and wondering, am I settling at all? At work, relationships, life…sometimes it’s good to check-in for a little personal diagnostic and make sure everything’s “on track.” There’s so many things I want to do and places I want to see that I haven’t thought about in awhile. It’s time to bring those dreams up again and maybe even focus in on new ones.

Part of the reason I might be thinking about dreams and new experiences might be more than a little inspired by co-blogger Lydia’s fantastic European adventure. You might have noticed her absence this past week (I know I have!), but rest assured she’s having the time of her life, with the instagram feed to prove it.

Here’s to a productive, thoughtful weekend!

follow your dreams quote

Buck up

~ Lydia ~ 2 Comments

71d48fa8dd9e77e9b6195f1226eecae9 25e485da9f78a2f334dca2aa09fb2101 f80850cdd0a96b75b3ba0c7808853345

Well, I had a great relaxing weekend with a date on Friday, girls scary movie night on Saturday (that didn’t give me nightmares…high five to me!), dress shopping and bridesmaid dress ordering with my mom on Sunday and then topped it off with a great concert at a favorite venue of mine, the Granada, to see Aesop Rock on Sunday night. I also squeezed in some Berlin and Rome research on Saturday’s perfectly rainy afternoon. Great pre-Europe jam packed weekend!

Do you ever have those friends who complain all the time? And you want to be like “listen here, bro. Suck. It Up.” Well lately, that’s been me. I hear myself doing it too. “Aren’t you leaving for Europe soon?” “Yes! I’m so excited! Ugh but I have to [insert endless vacation to do list] and [insert complaint about how much everything is costing this Spring/Summer because of the many family events happening]” Frankly, I’m surprised I haven’t been slapped yet. Especially because those closest to me likely know that I secretly love to do lists and being slightly stressed (just call me a masochist). Although no one has give me a love face tap yet, I do have a few friends and a mother who simply laugh when I utter an ounce of complaining. As they should!!

Complaining is stealing from your own joy. Even worse, you’re stealing from those around you. If you’re having a great day and I come over and spill red wine all over it, your good mood is stained with my negativity. Who wants to be the friend that is the red stain on someone’s mood or day? Who would want to be friends with that friend?

So this week my goal is to quit complaining. These next few months are really exciting  albeit expensive, and I would hate myself for not lavishing and soaking up the moment. Unfortunately I don’t have friends who will sitcom slap me, but I do have a yoga mat and have instructed friends to tell me to suck it up if I even have the tone of a whine. I want to stop myself from every even considering the Debbie Downer of these great life events and stay a Positive Patricia. She’s way more fun to hang out with.

By the way, one week from this moment I’ll be having dinner in Paris. Can you even believe that? I can’t!

paris

Today I’d Rather Be….

~ Sarah ~ Leave a comment

getting-back-to-meg beachvespa travelingstanding in the ocean

If you can’t tell by all these pictures of other places I’d like to be, I’ve been feeling a little restless lately.

I realized, after months (and months) of getting settled and exploring, I feel like I can finally say I know Dallas. I know how to get where I’m going…although my apartment is still the first location to auto-populate in my Google Maps search thanks to all too frequent direction searching. I’ve explored a lot of the major neighborhoods, eaten at a different restaurants, gone out to some different bars, even managed to find multiple different coffee shops, which is quite a feat in a world now overrun by Starbucks’ on every corner. Some people might find all this comforting, but I was always the kid shoving furniture around my room every couple months to have “new” surroundings, living vicariously through often multiple book characters a week, and asking to go to a boarding school so I could have some adventures of my own.

Adjusting to life in one place and without the limitless flying privileges I used to be privy to while still a student is definitely, well…an adjustment. So to me this feeling means it’s time to a) go somewhere new and/or b) get creative.

Luckily, I actually do get to go somewhere pretty soon. Like Lydia, I’m also “planning” a trip, albeit much shorter and not quite as exciting as Europe…I will be celebrating my birthday weekend in Washington D.C. next week. The word planning is in quotation marks because (to my boyfriend’s chagrin) my idea of trip planning involves quite a lot of vague, general ideas about activities and destinations. I’m happiest when I’m just wandering around somewhere new, soaking it all in and stopping at places based on a providential mix of happenstance and locals’ recommendations. I’ve found countless great coffee, cupcakes, shops, and even some celebrities this way. All that said, I am quite excited to be somewhere I have to get on a plane to get to, and I would love any recommendations for cool, must-see (aka must eat or drink) local places.

As for the getting creative, I’m sure there’s plenty of new places in Dallas…now I’ll just have to find them.

Status quo

~ Lydia ~ Leave a comment

2675ebbe8222bbedddd9c4778bb80458 88349d98c2181c1b6a725236898b5de1

Every third Thursday, myself and all my coworkers pick a place and enjoy a good happy hour full of laughs and Blue Moons in the warm Texas sun – on the company card [the best kind of happy hours!]. Literally heaven. We have a new graphic designer and she started asking our Creative Director about his past life experiences. And let me tell ya, he’s lived quite the life. Home schooled, graduated at 14, had his first paying design gig at 15, trained horses, became a solid DJ, owned a record store and at the ripe age of 28 is second in command at our agency. He’s the kind of person that makes you feel like your experience in a public school system, in a suburban bubble, and going off to a state college is completely inadequate. 

I’ve been having this thought for quite some time now. I feel like growing up in suburbia trains your mind to think in a certain way. I never challenged the status quo, didn’t question authority, and was completely content playing [and kicking some major bootay *humble brag*] in tennis and eating at Chili’s. I dressed to try to fit in and gain the acceptance of my peers. And then I went to college because that is what you’re supposed to do after high school. College taught me how to memorize a text book, why joining a sorority is the best thing for your social ife, and what major I should choose if I actually wanted to get a job after graduation, whether you’d really enjoy it or not.

Now lucky for me, I’m terrible at memorizing text books, couldn’t really afford a sorority/wasn’t completely sold on the idea of sharing a house with a few hundred girls, and chose a career that I would do even if money wasn’t a concern. At the same time, dressing like everyone else, loving High School Musical (guilty as charged), attending a few date parties and going to a big state school is what made me happy at the time. Maybe this is all part of being in your 20’s (at least I hope I’m not alone on this), but I want nothing more than to throw the status quo and normal out the window. Have my own opinions that aren’t swayed by those around me. Even now when I want to do something, have an opinion, or date someone, a little voice in the back of my head says “what will everyone think? what will they think about me?” My question is, how do you shut that voice up?

Because sure, maybe I didn’t always choose the path less taken, but is there anything wrong with the more worn path? In the end after all, it brought me to today. I’ve had a fantastic weekend filled with laughter and pure happiness, so is there really anything wrong with that? Because truly, I loved college football, I think Justin Timberlake and I would make a great couple, guys simply look good in Polo button downs and I happen to love blasting Taylor Swift in my car. But I also genuinely dislike most major brand names, am a complete book and art nerd, relish quiet and alone time on a Friday night and tend to enjoy a weird variety of tunes from americana, jazz and African tribal music.

Perhaps the important thing is to take a moment and look at your options or opinions. Ask yourself, do I really like this? Is this actually me? And to be honest, I’m not really sure on this one. I’m still figuring it all out which is probably obvious by the heavy use of question marks in the post. But hey, what else are your 20’s for?

This time of life

~ Sarah ~ 7 Comments

emma stone and andrew garfield jennifer lawrence{Two of my favorite women completely rocking their twenties.}

Tonight a co-worker and I had the opportunity to attend a happy hour…that started at about 8:45 p.m. She turned to me and aptly said, “A basically 9 p.m. happy hour is no longer a happy hour. That is just a party.”

Spoken like a true 20-something. I’ve been noticing a lot of articles lately about “what it means to be a 20-something” or “signs you’re a 20-something.” While most of these provide endless amusement with their eerily accurate observations, they also promote this sense of unity in knowing I’m not alone. You’d think this would be discouraging to learn I’m not as much of a unique individual as I thought I was, but it’s actually strangely comforting. On one of Soul Pancake’s message boards, somebody asked, “What’s so noteworthy about being a 20-something anyways?” Someone else responded, “Nothing more than any other age.” While I completely agree that this could be true as I don’t have a whole lot of times of life to compare now to, I’d have to say there’s a lot about being at the time I am now that’s noteworthy. I’ve caught myself a lot over the past few months just marveling about how it feels to hit these “milestones” compared to how I thought I’d feel. It’s a strange feeling to spend your whole life wanting to be “old” then finally getting there to realize it’s a whole lot different than you thought it’d be. At the same time nearly everything in my life is changing all the time, and I’m knowing the “adults” in my life a whole new way.

Here’s a couple of the realizations I’ve found myself pondering lately:

Parents are actually always right. At that same moment, you realize that they told you they were always right, not because they were your parents (which is what you thought growing up), but probably because they, too, at some point realized their parents were always right.

Getting married isn’t a happy ending or a solution. And even though there’s a lot of happy engaged couple around you, it turns out the whole process is not nearly as romantic or surprising as you thought it’d be because there’s a whole lot of real life logistics that need to happen as far as jobs, locations of jobs, leases, roommates, and probably so much more.

Being “old” doesn’t mean you have everything figured out. In fact, it seems that most people don’t ever really know what they want or where they’re going. It’s a mix of educated guessing, luck and simply taking the next step. I also know people older than me who have changed their career path completely, taken time off to travel or volunteer for a social cause, etc. There’s not some secret “right” path to life it turns out…and that’s okay.

20 somethings quote

Less lazy, more crazy

~ Lydia ~ Leave a comment

tulips4 tulip1 tulip2 tulip3

I had a ridiculous lazy time last week and like Sarah, finished an entire box of Mac ‘n Cheese all on my own. In my defense, it was Annie’s – practically healthy right?

Win at phone tag. While blissfully signing my adorable Valentines last week, I realized that several of these long distance friendships that I cherish hadn’t been receiving much TLC as of late. I’m not much of a phone talker. And the fact that my iPhone is on the fritz and the screen doesn’t lock when I hold it up to my cheek certainly isn’t doing me any favors. I prefer to do all my phone catch ups while I’m driving (dangerous) or walking my dog (windy). I absolutely hate talking on the phone in my apartment, unable to accomplish anything else on my to do list. This week I need to just get over it. Good friends are hard to find and hard to keep if you don’t make a valiant effort to reach out. So get ready AT&T, I’m actually going to use all those minutes you give me.

Read, dangit. Like Sarah, I have a book that’s been hanging over my head for months. With several books in the pipeline, I need to hunker down and actually read the thing. I mean, it’s a great book! But I so easily get distracted by emails, blogs and Gawker (guilty pleasure) that by the time my head hits that pillow, it’s lights out for me.

Speaking of lights out. Last week I put myself through a terrible sleep cycle with going to bed after midnight and waking up between 4 and 5 AM. Luckily, I love coffee and will take an excuse to drink more of it, but I know this isn’t good for my mental or physical health. Plus, I was so pooped by Friday night I stayed in with just The Avengers and my pup (oh, and my mac and cheese). So this week I want to work on getting in bed at a reasonable hour. Hopefully this will play into the reading goal as well!

Make it into a headstand. As you may or may not know, I’m a yoga addict. They have me hooked. And I am SO close to being able to get that handstand! All I can really do is try my absolute hardest and practice focus. I also plan on staying super hydrated all week in preparation for Saturday’s workshop class where I get to do some handstand practice. Wish me luck!

The tulips featured above, by the way, have absolutely nothing to do with this post. In the community I live in though, the city is planting them EVERYWHERE and I am loving it! They’re so cute how they open during the day, face towards the sun, and close up at night. The added array of colors is like a real live rainbow everyday of the week. I just can’t get over them!

A clean home is a happy home (and a happy Lydia)

~ Lydia ~ Leave a comment

2da52368ded3726f1f06188d8803980d 77ce041312b6604eb83122d5ee107e0a 6043450953e961b76b63dfc51bf98d35

I’m ordinarily a pretty neat person – with the exception of the clothing tornado that happens each and every morning I get dressed. I like to have a place for everything and consider organizing a great hobby. When my room is a mess, I feel like a mess.

Yet apparently when my roommate goes out of town for the weekend, I become a 13 year old boy with no care for seeing the floor of my room. So I spent the first half of the weekend making a huge mess for myself. That macaroni and cheese pot from Friday night that I regrettably finished all on my own? Feel free to soak till Saturday when I muster up the energy and courage to tackle you. The living room became both my closet and kitchen. Consequently the second half of the weekend I spent cleaning. I came home on Sunday morning [feeling a little rough from too much fun on Saturday night] and couldn’t believe the mess I had created. A few hours of elbow grease later, my apartment now has the oh so sweet aroma of bleach and Windex. Not that this did much to help my headache, but the clean smell is delicious nonetheless. My clothes are back on their hangers and sanity is back in my head.

It’s amazing what organized surroundings can do to change your attitude on well, everything. It energizes you, makes your hair less frizzy and I’m pretty sure I lost weight – okay, maybe that’s excessive. But it really does play so much into how I feel. This whole week has just felt kind of messy. As a result, my dog had shortened walks and my Finding Tiffanys blog posts were lacking. I feel that clean surroundings are part of my 2013 vow to live and eat healthier. Furthermore, when my the items in my life are in place and organized, it’s setting the stage for me to live. And not spend 30 minutes looking for my keys.

I would also like to add on a completely different note, that this weekend I found the jeans. The jeans I’ve been looking for since 1989. Skinny jeans that don’t make me look like a Jonas Brother,  fit around the waist, and are comfortable enough to sit criss cross at work. Thank you Urban Outfitters and your $39 BDG Jean sale, you made this jean seeker incredibly happy.