twloha. [subject: me, photo credit: katie gandy]

I've decided to turn Top 5 Friday into "Links I Love". Why? I don't like the constraints I put on myself for Top 5 Friday. It's both a limit and a deadline. No thanks. So, welcome to the first edition of Links I Love! I just couldn't make up my mind, so it took me all weekend to narrow it down from the hundreds of posts I probably read this week.

Enjoy!

1. Sometimes you need an attitude adjustment or a perspective shift. Sometimes life seems glass half empty, but you can definitely make it half full.

"You'll do fine. People have phenomenal capacity." // Project Life Week 2

2. I am slowly but surely learning this trait - How to Say No (Without Being an Asshole).

3. An old friend and I discussed the idea of my blogging "seriously" or maybe writing professionally one day. This post on Organizing Inspiration may be an excellent place to start.

4. This week, Black Eiffel hit me with two motivating posts. One about Pretty Closets to jump start my cleaning project! And another about Alt Summit and Up & Coming Blogs - the inspiration is endless!

5. We often think about the things we wish were or could do. If you make a list, it might come true. A lot of these things are the kind of woman I want to be, too.

6. Meg also reposted this Dear Sugar post. It's quite intimate. "What you resolve will need to be resolved again".

7. Oh hi, Blue Print Cleanse. This is just another reason to convince me to spend my life savings on a juice cleanse. Thanks, Nicole!

8. Secrets don't make friends - especially if you tell ones that don't belong to you. End of story.

9. Once I make my closet pretty, I will be hitting the pantry. How could I not want to after seeing these before & after pantry photos?!

10. Gentlemint - Pinterest for boys.

11. This moved me to tears - Why I love Jesus, but Hate Religion.

12. Find your Daily Dose of Pretty at The Beauty Department. I realize this is incredibly girly.

13. Apple just changed the game. Again. Watching the iBooks Textbooks video made me want to go back to high school. This is how we do.

PS. I just found out my dear friends Charles & Myron had a free range chicken named after me at the Keegan Filion Farms Barn Raising today - how fantastic & flattering!

I feel like the two weeks (ah!) of the New Year went by crazy fast. I have had so much going on - work, being sick, cooking, baking, eating delicious meals, sleeping enough, not sleeping enough, training at the gym, getting speeding tickets, reading books, plant care taking, getting an iPhone, hanging out with friends, meetings fellas, discussing life, building relationships. Everyday, I learn a little bit more about myself and then throw it all into the next day.

Life is so uncertain. There's not really time to dwell on it. You just have to do what you feel you want to do. Put yourself out there. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn't. It's ok. You have balance happiness and pain.

Deep, right? I think it's my Happiness Project Calendar. Or I'm just getting wiser. Or I'm too tired to think about uncomfortable things.

via instagram

So, without further ado, Top 5 Friday! I skipped last week, but these ones are thoughtful for you...

1. Like cheese & wine, relationships get better with time. I can't even begin to tell you how much I liked this post about relationships. Just a few points to consider.

2. Thought Catalog brings a spot on post about Things We Need to Be Happy. Read it and tell me it's not true. I dare you.

3. I just recently discovered Lululemon & their blog. Love. This post about challenging yoga was both informative & entertaining. Make sure you watch Sh!t Yogis Say.

4. It's time for January's Network of Nice Hook Ups!

5. My mom suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder and I've always suspected that I have a part of those genetics. I'm longing for summer already! Here are a few tips & tricks to beat the winter blues! And I was so interested in this that I googled it and here are a few more ideas!

Today, someone handed me a post it. (I love post its.) And on it were the words "Youth Lagoon". He told me that it had been too long since we talked about music and that was his gift to me. And now it's my gift to you. Enjoy.

I have more dreams than you have posters of your favorite teams. You'll never talk me out of this.

I like the end of the year. It's full of perspective from the last 365 days, but it's also full of hope for the next 365 days. You are always surprised by what you did and never quite sure of what will happen next. It's scary and beautiful at the same time.

So, this Top 5 "Friday" is dedicated to 2011 - thanks for the memories! And also to 2012 - I can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve...

1. Are you making resolutions this year? Wonder how you're going to keep them? This post from A Beautiful Mess might be just what you need to read.

2. A wish for the New Year. I like that, too!

3. Have you ever picked a word/phrase for the year? It's a cool idea. I think this year I'll choose "Be Here Now" or "Simplify". But magic is really good word that worked for Elise Blaha this year.

4. I adore Olivia. I adore her travels. I adore her thoughtfulness and ability to find comfort all over the world even by herself. Her 2011 blog post is certainly inspiring.

5. I'm making this Hoppin' John recipe for good luck in 2012! If that's not your jam, then maybe these White Chocolate Peppermint Milkshakes will bring good luck to you!

6. I just love the idea of a Best of List.

And for good measure,

7. Hey lady - maybe your 2011 sent you spinning? It's ok. Maybe you're not crazy - read this post and be bold in 2012!

And when I get some more time, I'll tell you what I did in 2011 - I had a list, remember?! And I'll tell you about all of the awesome new things I discovered. And maybe I'll make a wish for 2012 while I am it.

And, if you have a chance, tell me all about yours! I'd love to hear it.

xo.

Credits: I forgot. Kudos to someone else though!

Yeah, it's not Friday... Again. It's Sunday. It's CHRISTMAS! Ah! It doesn't really feel like Christmas for some reason. I'm excited for family, friends, poker, portable bar, presents and birthday celebrations - my little sister will be twelve! Wowza. I feel old.

Anyway, it was a rough week. I learned a lot. Mostly about myself. Sometimes life throws us curve balls. Sometimes you cry. Sometimes you get scared. Sometimes you run away. But other times you smile, stand up to the world and put yourself out there. You get to pick.

Many thanks to all of you who were thrown in the middle of my midweek crisis. Really. Thank you.

And while I was on my last seven days of self discovery, this is what I found on the interwebs. Enjoy!

1. This is a(nother) post from Donald Miller, but it's actually about a TED Talks. What's it about? The Power of Vulnerability. Whoa, right? It's sort of scary, but mostly true.

2. I like when people post about their home's interior design. This bedroom especially caught my eye. I hope I have a cute little home when I'm a newlywed.

3. Nutella is good for you. Clearly these cookies must be good for me. I see more baking in my future.

4. “My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage." - Alice Hoffman (via the wild & wily ways)

5. The end of the year/the beginning of a new one can be overwhelming. Here is a post about 5 simple things you can do to take care of yourself. Do these, then worry about being a perfectionist later.

6. IT'S A CRAZY TIME OF YEAR. "Press pause. Stop to enjoy. Breathe. Make yourself a peppermint mocha."

And if you're looking back on the last year, then check out Reverb 11. You can Google it and find others. It's definitely a more organic experience than Reverb 10 was last year, but it seems like everyone is enjoying it all the same.

Listening to: DMB - Christmas Song, Needtobreathe - More Time, Jay Clifford - Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, Radical Face - Welcome Home Son, Rise Against - Swing Life Away, Florence + The Machine - Only If For The Night. Oh and other things - join Spotify and check out my playlists!

Oh, Father up above, 

why in all this hatred do You fill me up with 

love, love, love?

GOOD MORNING! IT'S TOP 5 FRIDAY OVER HERE!

I woke up over an hour ago. That's real life.

So, grab some coffee and read on party people. I did this just for you!

1. Are you busy? Of course you are. Duh. Here are 12 HAPPINESS Habits for Busy People! Read it, Come on, Get Happy!

2. So, we've established you're busy. Do you want to Take It Easy? Of course you do. Duh. Here's a podcast all about it! I listen to Joy & Tracy at the gym - makes me forget I'm on the stair stepper... Sort of.

3. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Enter the Starbucks Venti Iced Coffee. Clearly.

4. SHUT THE FRONT DOOR JAZZFEST LINE UP. For reals.

5. Could I lose a few? Probably. I'm sure I will along my Own Fitness Journey. This is a very honest look at how being healthy goes down. You've got to want it, folks.

And ONE LAST TOPIC! Gift Guides! Love 'em. I do. Seriously.

What do I think are some fail safe gifts for people if they don't have a wish list conveniently located along the right side of their blog like me?

The Happiness Project Calendar - it's positive and it lasts all year long!

Starbucks Gift Card/Locally Roasted Coffee - hello. Caffeine. What's not to love?

BAKED GOODS - make them yourself. Order one. It doesn't matter. Duh. Everyone loves a cookie.

Booze - but only if they drink. And I'm not talking PBR - while refreshing at times, not a good gift. I'm talking a bottle of Hendrick's or Firefly. Maybe a bottle of wine that costs more than $3 or some fancy holiday ale. It's meant to be good. Not cheap.

Bath & Body Works 3 Wick Candles - on sale 2 for $20 with wonderful new smells like Black Pepper Bergamot and Mahogany Teakwood. And they have a COUPON out right now. Get it.

Moroccan Oil - smells lovely and does lovely things to hair. It's not cheap. It's not expensive.

(Good) Nail Polish/Pedicure - every girl loves glitter. Every girl loves color on her toes. Think OPI, Essie, BUTTER. When in doubt, certificate it to your local salon.

A plant - they're eco friendly and friend friendly. A little green thumbed responsibility never hurt anyone and it will enhance the air they breathe! You're so thoughtful!

QUALITY TIME - it's not a cop out gift. It's you! And who doesn't want that for Christmas? Go grab a cup of coffee. See a movie. Bake cookies. Just enjoy being with the other person. NBD. Time is hard to come by!

What do you think belongs on a HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE?

Here I am again - one day late on the Top 5 Friday post. I should have named this post project something different like "Best Week Ever" or something equally as vague. Hindsight.

Ok, so Best Week Ever? Not so much. I hope yours was better than mine. Both my work and personal lives have been roller coasters over the last week and I've come to several conclusions about things and myself and other people. The difficult part is not caring and just accepting which I cannot do because that's just not who I am. This is going to be a long ride, folks.

Last night was a mostly pretty good wind down. I got to stay at home (yeah, on a Friday) and clean/decorate our little apartment. Did you know there is an instant Netflix called Fireplace for Your Home? Yeah. It's pretty fantastic.

My ramblings aside, it turns out the interwebs had a lot to say this past week, so I will share what struck my fancy.

1. I love list posts - clearly. I also love mugs & Anthropologie.. And I l.o.v.e this Naked palette. It was the best $50 I ever spent. And this journal is the jam. I want. So check out this post - it's a little like being in my head.

2. I had a friend who wrote a journal to her future husband. At the time, I thought it was sort of silly. Now, I think it's sort of perfect. I find them randomly posted by a brunette bombshell in Manhattan.

3. Bloggers are real people, too. And "Not every day has to be glitter & rainbows because in real actual life shit happens." That's so true. It's not always conveyed here, but it's so very true.

4. I discovered Home Fries from Joy the Baker & her podcast. From Home Fries, I discovered Tracy at Shutterbean and subsequently High Straightenence. THIS IS REAL LIFE. That's all.

5. A very merry Indie Christmas to you & yours. 

PS. I am currently OBSESSED with the Rise Against song Swing Life Away. Yes, I know I'm behind in the times. I can't hear you mocking me. Listen to the song here. And see the song as art here.

via we r who we r

TGIF! TGIF! I have Saturday & Sunday off! TGIF! Ok, I missed the whole TGIF thing because it's no longer Friday. I'm such a slacker when it comes to Top 5 Friday on Friday. I hope you don't mind. But yesterday was a good, long day followed by a good, long night.

And why I'm awake... I can't answer that. But I have a plan to combat my fatigue! A trip to the gym followed by a date with Starbucks. Not a bad Saturday morning, right?

Alright. Alright. I'll stop my yammering and let you enjoy all of these lovely links.

1. Do you watch Parks & Rec? If no, then treat yo' self to an episode! And if that's not your thing, then treat yourself to something else. I say so. This lovely blog also had a post this week about being above average. I encourage you to read it, then live it.

2. Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

3. When Andrea made the switch from old url to new, I was nervous, but she has continued to deliver - I love her blog. And this post about long drives, well, I want it to be my life. There's nothing I love more than traveling with friends. And there's no trip I want to make more than to travel along the coast of California. Where do I sign up?

4. Do you love music? Do you love lyrics? Do you love Tumblr? You'll love this.

5. There are a few places that have captivated me. New York is one of them. Why? Oh, I'm not sure. The magic of a never sleeping city is intoxicating. The beauty of 843 acres of green in the middle of a cement block is unexpected and breathtaking. Watch this time lapse video to see what I mean.

6. I just discovered Bob Harper's Bikini Body Workout on Shape's website. I love Bob Harper. I would follow him to the end of my health & wellness world. I don't even know why. I trust him in all of his bearded and ripped abs glory. Also, I think he could make me look like Jillian Michaels. Nbd.

7. My friend Mike posted this song on my FB wall the other day. I like it so much that I've decided to share it with all of you. Enjoy.


Now tell me what you think!


                                                 


And EDIT: I just read this post by/about Ryan Gosling. Really? Broke up a fight & started a protest? Where have I been? I like this. Maybe you will, too.

I hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving. My holiday was full of deep fried turkey, pie, poker, mimosas and family. I am so very blessed. What was your favorite part of the day? Tell me. Tell me. Tell me.

And now, while American consumers are out jonesin' for a sale, I will be... well, assisting them. Normally I dread this day with my whole heart, but right now I'm really looking forward to it. I want to see what it's like outside of a mall. I want to know what it looks like as controlled chaos. Then I want to go to the gym, paint my toes and maybe go for drinks with the "kids" in the family. TGIF? Sure. I'll bite.

And now for Top 5(ish) [Black] Friday!


1. I like traditions. They're especially good when they involve The Happiness Project. I still haven't finished reading it. Maybe January will be my month.

2. My cousin and his wife, Brittany, are pretty adorable. He did a good job picking her. She writes this cute little blog about their cute little family. I dig it.

3. Because Thanksgiving is the best holiday. The end.

4. So, I made pie for Thanksgiving. I don't know if I've ever made a pie other than pumpkin or chocolate walnut (at McCutchen House). And then boom! I made this Salted Caramel Cheesecake Pie with a gingersnap crust. From scratch. True story.

5. Lovely Olivia is back in Charleston and taking names! Of really awesome places to visit & dine. I think it's time for a Butcher & Bee adventure. 

6. I'm sorry - is this even possible? A pretty fridge... What a concept. I'll work on that.

7. First, I like the name of this blog - lyrics from The Weepies! Second, she's right - you should be watching this show. It's hilarious and on Hulu. So, Happy Hanksgiving - enjoy!


There it is. I hope you enjoyed what I enjoyed on the interwebs over the past seven days. I'm thankful for all of you reading - whether I know you or not - and I hope you're eating leftovers and sitting in your pajamas. That's what I would be doing.

xo.

This little mosaic to the left is the background on my computer. I like it. A lot. It's from Curious Girl who used always do Mosaic Monday, but she stopped some time ago for some reason...

Which brings me to my next point... I skipped Top 5 Friday.

Whack. I know. (Yeah, that's right I said whack. Maybe I'll bring that saying back.)

I had a really busy weekend. I mean, I've been on a four day "vacation" and I have been going a mile a minute, yo. Of course, I've enjoyed it all and I'm super stoked for Thanksgiving and about moving into the Holiday Season at work and my new position.

AND I'm going to see the new Twilight movie tonight with my roomie. Nerd Alert. I'm not ashamed. I'll even go ahead and let you know that I'm on Team Edward. Don't hate.

But, yeah, I had two links I was going to share from last week, so I will share them now because I wouldn't want them to get left behind.

1. Fab Brunette is a new discovery for me. (Like I needed one more blog to read...) But her post about Happy Discoveries made me... well, happy! And I like that in life. Glass half full, friends.

2. And here we have another excerpt from the book I'm supposed to be reading, Searching for God Knows What. I love Donald Miller. I love how honest he is about life and spirituality. Plus, any post about patience and trust is always good to read.

Tell me about your weekend. Was it awesome? Did you make a new friend? Did you drink some good coffee? Did you eat something delicious? Most importantly, did you get to sleep in? Really. I want to know.

Oh hey! TGIF. Am I right?

Yeah. I am. But only because I have the day off tomorrow! Hip hip hooray!

I am going to seriously sleep in. No alarm clock. I've been exhausted all week [life is keeping me on my toes], so I'm using this as my last attempt to get all the sleep I need.

Then I'll put gas in my car, go to the Farmer's Market, have some Starbucks, clean my room, run some errands, read some of my Steve book, watch some Felicity, paint my nails. It's gonna be good. Good.


Do you have any big weekend plans?


Anyway, enough about Saturday - it's TOP 5 FRIDAY! Here are some of my favorites from the past week:

1. Sometimes my life to-do list is outrageous. Why do we all put so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect in everything that we do? And then why do we give ourselves so much to do perfectly? This is an excellent post about Narrowing Priorities. Let's keep it simple.

2. I just discovered Today's Letters yesterday. (That sounds confusing.) It's my new favorite blog. And I loved them more when they posted about a bird flash mob. Ok, that's not really what it was, but watch it. It's pretty fantastic.

3. This is a really excellent post about Unconditional vs. Conditional Love. I mean, when was the last time you stopped and thought about that? I don't think we think about love enough. Why? Because "love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real." [Note: I like this whole blog a lot - this is the post that first caught my attention.]

4. I'm already drinking my double tall nonfat eggnog lattes. What's that mean? CHRISTMASTIME IS HERE. That means time for crazy & holiday to-do lists. And I'm not just talking gift buying and travel plans... I'm talking wearing scarves, holiday movie watching, nog drinking, decorating. Let's get on top of it, peeps.

5. This chick quit sugar. QUIT SUGAR. I thought about it for five seconds. I'm not that strong.

Hey, look! I kept it at five! Crazy.

So, tell me what you think. And listen to this version of Tupelo Honey. And find me on Pinterest & pin with me!

Welcome to the most delayed Top 5 Friday post. It's short, but sweet and mostly music.

Hey hey. My my. Rock and roll can never die.

1. One of the most interesting finds this week for me was The Goat Rodeo Sessions. Give it a listen if you like Bach or Bluegrass.

2. Coldplay recently performed at Apple's company wide celebration of Steve Jobs' life. It was quite moving. Then their new cd came out. And now I'm addicted to this song.

3. While I was doing some training at work this week, I discovered this little gem. Two awesome things in one. Yoga + DMB.

4. You keep telling me what you know, but baby, what do you believe? Have you heard Divided by Friday? Do yourself the favor and listen. Now. Right here. This song hit me at mile 9 of my half.

5. This is something I've always wanted to me good at - I'm just not. Yet. A girl can dream about Art Journaling, right?

6. I like these songs. And when people post playlists. That's all.

7. I think this ad is pretty. And appealing. And whoever came up with it is smart.

8. And the number one good reason to be sick this holiday season can be found at Shutterbean. Check it.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It's for real TGIF for me. That's right. I have the day off. I guess that's not really what Friday is about for most people though. However, I am now aware that I will be out of the store for 5 days. Three are days off and two of them I'll be working offsite. Weird. But without further ado, here it is... Top 5 Friday! Take 2.



1. I very much enjoy being single and being in charge of my own life and making my own decisions, but sometimes I wish I already had my happily ever after - my someone to share responsibilities & coffee with. (There's an episode of Gilmore Girls about this, btw.) Anyway, so when I read this post by Meg Fee, I understood & appreciated it. And I'm glad to know I'm not the only one.

2. Every so often I discover a new blog that I l.o.v.e. This week I fell in love at Une Deux Senses - a delightful little blog that has posts such as "Manicure Monday". Um, what's not to love? Food, Fashion, Music & Other Little Lovelies. Also, I stumbled upon an entry called Magic Coffee - I'm so in. It appears another Cali blog has stolen my heart. [Please note, I didn't enjoy the magic coffee. Not one bit. But I still enjoy this blog.]

3. Last week, I told you about Caffeinate Me. Well, that blog led to me to Just a Titch. I have to say, I really love Amy. I love how insightful she is about life. I love how dedicated she has become to her health. I love how she always asks the reader a question. I love how regularly she posts. Mostly I love how she posts the things I happen to be pondering in life or reminds me of the things I should be pondering. This particular post is about what she wants less/more of in her life. What do you want less and more of?

4. It's not even right how much I love the Joy the Baker Podcast. No seriously. I check my iTunes for updates almost daily (well, on Wed, Thurs and Fri) to see if Joy (the Baker) & Tracy (Shutterbean) have posted a new one. This is real life. It's ladies talking about road trips and food and boys and guilty pleasures and nail polish. They just hosted the awesome HomefriesU - Back to School. And, if I can break the bank when Spring Break rolls around, I'm all over. I can't wait.

5. The picture posted today is one of the best things I read this week. I love this quote. I love Amy Poehler in Parks & Recreation. I just love Parks & Recreation. I love the Apartment 513 blog. I love it all.

6. I need a large piece of art. I was thinking about doing a lyrical canvas. I stumbled upon this idea/picture on Pinterest and fell head over heels with the idea. Now all I need is the patience, supplies and the right song. Decisions.

7. I'm completely convinced that the way you make friends in life is by baking. Duh. Nothing says, "I'm trustworthy and good to be around" like a nice batch of cookies - I'm partial to making sea salted chocolate chip cookies. However, I think the best way to win over even your worst enemies is Pumpkin Nutella Bread. I know, shut the front door! Let's all bake.


PS. Anyone swear by Juice Beauty? I'm jonesing to try this Organics to Clear Skin kit...

Oh alright, so I chose more than 5 links. It's my blog and I'll link excessively if I want to. So there.

Hugs.

TGIF, to you.

I don't particularly care that it's Friday - makes no difference to me. My work week goes Saturday - Friday and my days off were Monday & Tuesday. So, last Sunday was my Friday. Today is Wednesday in Erinland. Sort of. I have Sunday and Friday off this week, so we'll revisit this topic next Friday when it applies to me. I hope you enjoy your weekend, though!

I'm supposed to be at the gym right now, but I have noticed on a lot of blogs that people will post their favorite links from the week on Friday. I want to do that, too. So I am. And it's more important to me than cardio right now. Here is the inaugural post for my "Top 5 Friday"... Get excited.

(Also, the number 5 is ambiguous - it could be more or it could be less, but today it's inaugural and it's five, hence the name.)

1. Fall is upon us! And I've decided there is no better way to celebrate Fall mornings that with Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal. That's right. I said Pumpkin Pie for breakfast. I quartered the recipe here for a single serving. I also substituted walnuts & brown sugar for pecans & maple syrup. (I hate pecans & I don't have any maple syrup.) Delish.

2. Here, in the world, in my life, a lot of us have been faced with unfortunate and/or difficult decisions/lessons. Sometimes the hardest thing & the right thing are the same. Well, that really sucks, but I found a bit of inspiration over here at Elise Blaha's text art project. I think it speaks volumes. Also, I love her Etsy Shop. I'll take a Goodness Book, please & thank you.

3. You know how people grow up? It's weird, right? Well, this guy (I wouldn't say we were friends - but we were in Yearbook together) I went to middle/high school with, Jeff, he grew up into a personal trainer and is actually quite motivating. He is in the middle of a cleanse and started a blog called Be Happy Live Fit. I recommend checking it out for some tips & tricks!

4. I don't know Andrea, but I know her blog Caffeinate Me and I l.o.v.e it. Really. The other day she posted her personal manifesto and it is spot on. Give it a read. Be a better person. Maybe write your own. Maybe just get addicted to her blog like I am. You choose.

5. And, finally, I have a new Netflix obsession. What? Felicity. Why? This blog post over at Champagne Bubbles spurred me into streaming action. I was on Team Noel for 3 or 4 episodes until I found out about Hannah. I mean, hello! And hey, this show premiered in 1998! They had curly fros, oversized sweaters, cassettes and pay phones still. I'm in for the long haul.

Also, I'm still listening to The Civil Wars. Please suggest something else to me.

xo.