Top 5 Friday. Part Deux.

[Is this cheating? Maybe. But this is my blog & I make the rules, so I say it's ok.]


I so enjoy learning about Olivia's travels through her blog Everyday Musings. I appreciate her honesty about life and the breathtaking photos she takes. And when I saw this post about Coffee & Canals nothing seemed more magical & perfect. 

We're all constantly trying to improve ourselves, yes? Well, here are 25 Ways to Be a Better Person... Today. (Practically) instant gratification. Let'd do it to it.

Sometimes blogs don't need words. Wit + Delight. A Visual Journal.

Note: This photo is the from Loemae's Instagram. It was taken from the top of the parking garage I park in for work everyday. The view from the top ain't so bad.

Alright. I'm really done this time.

I hope everyone had a lovely week. Mine was... Busy. Weeks are always busy, yes? Pretty much. I hope that you got everything crossed off your to-do list at work, so you can enjoy some personal time with friends & family or by yourself (if you're like me and need to have that space sometimes...).

But what I'm really here to say is TOP 5 FRIDAY (on Saturday morning) has arrived! Hooray! I know you've all been waiting, so without further ado, please, get your read on -


1. If practicality and anthropologie had an interwebs baby, then it would be this. The Violet online magazine. "We believe that you don't need a huge bank account or fancy things to live a full, rich life. With a little bit of creativity and a lot of heart, you can have your cake and eat it too!" 

2. This is an excerpt from the book I'm supposed to be reading right now. I realized Christian conversion worked more like falling in love than understanding a series of concepts or ideas. - Searching for God Knows What. That sounds lovely, no?

3. It's hard being healthy - not dieting, but being actually healthy. The kind of healthy where you make a life change that you can stick to & sustains you. Don't give up! Make some rules relevant to you and keep up the good fight. We can do it.

4. Sometimes sad takes time. And that's okay.

5. Bennetton + iPad = Cute + Practical. This is how we do.

6. Seriously? No way. Oil breaks up oil? You want me to put that on my face? For reals? I'm not sure how I feel about all this - if you have insight, then please share! I'm interested!

7. I LOVE this blog. I love how crafty she is and how she captures her life in seasons in these adorable tiny little books. Watch this minibooks video. It will start getting you ready for some happy holidays!


Tell me what you think. Tell me what you love. Tell me what you hate.

xo.

This showed up on my Google Reader from the parachute diaries, but when I went to create a link to it, the post was gone. That's one of those weird Google glitches/fortunate accidents. Glitch because what if you write something & publish it to the world and then change your mind? Chances are you're screwed because Google saved it. Fortunate because I really like this picture/quote and I'm glad I still get to share it with you/remind myself. 

Anywho. Top 5 Friday is coming! I'm just done with it yet. I had some other things/people to attend to and sometimes life is more important than my blog. Yeah, I said it. xoxo.

Sometimes I wish work wasn't necessary.

Don't get me wrong, I l.o.v.e my job, but not as much as hanging out with friends in the morning & drinking coffee, then hanging out with friends & eating burgers for lunch followed by some errands & a mid afternoon episode of Felicity before getting my gym on so I can be home in time to make dinner with another friend for four hours of chats, drinks & eats. (Hi, caramelized brussels sprouts - you are so good. And really, is it brussels sprouts or is it just brussel sprouts? Oh, wait, spell check says brussels. Problem solved. And did you know the plural of cul-de-sac is culs-de-sac? Now you do.)

Anyway.

That is the good life. That is my life.

Now, I will read some of my new book - Steve Jobs biography - and listen to the new Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto (hey, anyone now how to say that word?) - while listening to the fountain outside because I have all of the windows open in my apartment.

I will do those dishes tomorrow. Promises.

And the laundry.

Yep.

I'm not entirely motivated for Top 5 Friday - I've got four minutes and I'm ready for bed after too many hours at work, not enough sleep and three beers.

So...
Eat These.
Watch This.
Hear This.
Remember This.

Also, an excerpt from my evening:

Friend: Were you flirting with him?
Me: Um... No.
Friend: But you weren't not flirting with him?
Me: Well, I mean, I didn't have my game turned on, but...
Friend: I get it. The car was in drive, but you weren't pushing the gas pedal.

Oh goodness. Friends.

And then there is this :

and these.

Bahahaha.

Me: [to new iPhone owner] You can ask her anything. Watch. [to Siri] "Siri, how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?"

Siri: Don't you have something better to do with your time?

Me: [to Siri] Nope.

Siri: Perhaps not.

Me: [to new iPhone owner] She's a little sassy.

The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before.

- Albert Einstein

photo credit: unknown 

Today's Top 5 Friday is brought to you by Columbia, SC. Ok, so not by, but from. That's where I am.

I'm currently trying to do this while watching an episode of Felicity. It's proving almost impossible to do since we just got into the middle of Felicity and Ben - the relationshop I want to happen. Forget Noel. Team Ben! If he'd stop being so scared.

Anyway. Focus. It's Friday and I definitely have more than five. Here we go.

[Edit. Top 5 Friday is now Top 10 Saturday because I took a break to drive to Pigeon Forge, TN which is the Vegas of the South. I'm just saying.]

1. The picture in my post came from Curious Girl. I like it because it looks like fall... Thus it made my list this week.

2. I've been keeping up with Julian Bialowas for a while through his 365 pictures. Well, he reached 365 this week and here it is. I'll miss the beautiful photos and the inspiring quotes, but "a new journey will soon present itself."

3. I l.o.v.e granola. I l.o.v.e pumpkin. If I ever get the time & motivations, I'm pretty sure I'd l.o.v.e this Pumpkin Granola recipe I found on Free People. PS. Have you ever read the Free People blog? It's pretty fantastic. Full of recipes, quotes, music and fashion. Check it.

4. Love. Love. Love. Love. This is what Amy loves. What do you love?

5. About this... First, I enjoy From India. With Love. A lot. Also, I love food. I love Thanksgiving. I love cute boys who travel. I love videos about cute boys who travel and eat food. So, here have you it - all of that rolled into one.

6.  I think I'm out of shape. Or I'm out of healthy eating habits. So, I want to eat more veggies. I very much enjoy brussel sprouts. No lie. And this is a very yummy way to eat them. Hooray!

7. I found this blog post to be a wonderful reminder. Bind my wandering heart to thee. Also, Mumford & Sons are fantastic. Don't just listen to this - go get their album, too!

8. Shut.The.Front.Door. Go bake.

9. I read this post & said "that's me" a thousand times. I'm so happy I found Elise Blaha's blog and I'm so glad to know that I'm not the only person who is trying a new skincare routine and is not ready for their 1/2 marathon. And when I was in a relationship with someone who was away I wrote to him daily, so I'm not the only crazy. Planning Embracing. Celebrating. Drinking. Enjoying. Lamenting. AND I will also be returning to healthy eating after this mountain weekend. I've already had three cinnamon rolls.

10. Apple has done it again. Siri(ously). A voice activated personal assistant on your new iPhone 4S. Watch this video. It will change your life. That's just how we do.

I hope I didn't just blow your mind. It was just a good week in the blogosphere.

xo.

When I'm in Charleston, sometimes I miss my Columbia life so much that I ache.

When I'm in Columbia, sometimes I miss my Charleston life so much that I ache.

Logic says I am doomed to forever be achey. I think that's unfortunate.

I wonder if it's just that I always want what I can't have, so I am never content. Maybe I don't understand contentment. Maybe it's just human nature.

Places. Things. Feelings. It's bigger than those things. Life, I mean. It's big.

So what does this mean?

I'm not sure. I'll let you know when I find out.

This is real life.

And I'm real tired.

I'm just saying.

Oh hey. TGIF. I mean Friday is almost over, but that's ok. I am currently eating a bowl of Chocolate Frosted Mini Wheats and listening to this week's Joy the Baker podcast. The perfect end to a long day. Long week. Really. Since the last Top Five Friday, I have been involved in new hire training, had a visitor, worked extra hours, lost some good people from the world, cried at work, ate lunch in a park, etc, and so on and so forth.

I haven't baked. I haven't cooked. I haven't been to the gym much. I have had a lot of coffee and written a lot and read a lot. All for work. I haven't really been home too much. I'm not complaining. I just have a lot to do before I go out of town for FIVE DAYS! Ah!

But ANYWAY, I'm here for a reason. What reason? Top Five Friday! And.... go!

1. I love Feist. The Reminder was the anthem for Summer 2007. It always takes me back. I had no idea that Feist had a new album coming out, but thanks to this Black Eiffel blog post I am now in the know! And thanks to Spotify, I've been able to listen to the entire album! Hooray!

2. Every month, Sarah Von has a special post on her blog Yes & Yes. What is it? It's called The Network of Nice and it is so awesome. It's like take a penny, leave a penny, but with people. It's a nice little way to pay it forward. The concept is fantastic and it makes me feel better about the world.

3. Once in awhile, there is a person whose death rocks the world. On October 5 2011, it was Steve Jobs. At first, I couldn't believe it, but there it was on apple.com so that means it's truth. And, of all the five bazillion blogs I read, there were only a few people to mention it.  One blog post dedicated to him was from SRSLYLIZ and another was from The Goodie Life. I very much appreciated their kind words.

4. Do you like food? Do you like cocktails? Do you like photos? You need to check out Spoon Fork Bacon. End of story.

5. So, a weird fact about me. I enjoy "What's in your bag?" type series. Really. It helps satisfy this curiousity I have about people. Petite Elefant is on Week 66 of it's What's in your purse? series. And if that's not enough for you, then I really recommend the Persona Diptych series on Flickr. L.O.V.E.

6. And lastly, I just want to know... Coffee or Tea?


Alright. I have to go pack my lunch and read an outline and get to bed and make a list of things to do before I leave. All in thirty minutes. Heh. What's that funny little gadget necklace Hermoine had that term she was taking extra classes at Hogwarts? I want that. Yeah. I just went there.


Love.

Here's to another crazy one. 

A fine chef, teacher & friend.

Chef Jules Pernell. 

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.


Apple. 
Think Different.


Steve Jobs. 

This is the place I call home.

So, as you all know, I recently moved into a new apartment. Also, as most of you know, I'm an awesome procrastinator, so it has taken me almost two months to finally get everything "unpacked". I still have some stuff I could sort through, but it's all organized.

Anyway... I found lots of journals, photos, knick knacks along the way... lots of memories. I read some of my entries and I was so moved that I cried at some of them. I was/am so blessed by the friends I made in college. They helped support me and guide my focus. That sense of community and faith seems unreal.

I know I'll never have that tight knit living arrangement with my friends again. But I want my sense of wonder back. How do I do that?

And to all of you this post refers to... just... Thank you. It's not enough, but I truly mean it.