A vivid memory

Can I just give a huge shout out to everyone for putting up with my lack of outfit/fashion/photo related posts for May because with this post I will successfully finish the blog every day in May challenge. Huzzah!

Our last prompt is to write on a vivid memory. I've been trying to think of a few and one that stands out  would have to be from 8th grade in 1998. It was the night of our cheerleading competition at my future high school - the big one. I'd say about 18 schools competed. Our cheering section was huge. And for our big dance routine, I was in the front row.

Flash forward to the end of the night and they are announcing the winners. For some reason we picked up 2nd place for our cheer and we were thrilled. Amazed and surprised and beyond thrilled. And then.. we're waiting for the cheer announcements. No third. No second. Sitting crosslegged on the gym floor and we are all holding hands - even girls who didn't get along - everyone is sitting there just holding hands and trying to calm ourselves, high ponytails bobbing up and down from bouncing knees and making sure we wouldn't cry too hard in case we lost.

Suddenly the announcer boomed. "And in first place... for cheer... Saint (big long dramatic pause).. VERONICA'S!  All of us were up on our feet, hugging, screaming, cheering, crying - our cheering section went mad. We went to the middle of the floor to grab our trophy and I turned around and Tiffany, my best friend who wasn't even a cheerleader but helped support us so much was out there and we hugged and jumped up and down. Our entire class was there and we just all for one night got along and celebrated and were happy.

And that...was how we won first place. Later in the evening a parade of our cars driven by our parents drove by our principals house honking and we celebrated at a local ice cream parlor until almost 11. Thanks mom & dad for putting up with that.

So that is one of my most vivid and fun memories. Like my outfit? Hello, 1998.

What about you?

Letting go.

Day 30. Two more left!

Our second to last prompt is on letting go. So I'm just going to free write.

I have to learn to let go of a few things. One of the biggest that's hurt me the most are the ones who decide that they no longer want to be friends for whatever reason. There's someone who I'm still struggling with losing because I still don't understand it. But they don't want to be friends with me and I just have to accept that and let it go, let go that while I did what I thought was the best job possible it just wasn't good enough for her.

I have to realize that there will be others in the future. And now there's a few who have drifted away too, perhaps its just a part of life where I get bus with work and now school and trying to be a wife but I have to let go that sometimes its just not enough. And there will be other situations where I have to learn that the best I have to give won't be good enough, either. Mistakes will be made. I'm sure I'll stumble and fall .. but I guess that's where I'll learn the most.

And eventually.... it will be okay.

Letting go... might not be so bad, after all.

If I was a DJ...

Happy Wednesday! To celebrate my last Wednesday night of freedom before it becomes a school night (HR classes start tomorrow) we are off to the battle of the bay A's/Giants game tonight. Go A's!

Today's blogging every day in May prompt is for 5 songs that bring back memories. So if I was a DJ and putting together some of the favorite songs from my life these would be it.

Green Day - Good Riddance. This was senior year on repeat, over and over and over again. Love this song and it always brings me back to 2002. ;)

The Beatles - I'm Looking Through You. A favorite from senior year at UCSC when a group of us took a Beatles discography course and I can remember our goodbye party with everyone sitting around a living room singing along to this at the top of our lungs. Plus who doesn't love the Beatles?

Tricia Yearwood - She's In Love With The Boy. It was definitely the 90's when my cousins brought this song back from Colorado to us in California. My Nonno loved this song and we'd always put it on and sing and dance to it. And this video... holy 90's batman!

Van Morrison - Crazy Love (Done by Michael Buble). The song my husband and I did our first dance to. I love the lyrics .. it's just a gorgeous song.

Toto - Africa. No idea how this started but its become a go to for karaoke, group dances on the dance floor, and good for any number of family members belting this song out at any point in time.

Honorable mentions:
Journey - Don't stop believin'. Played this as our second to last song at the wedding and I think its a San Francisco favorite.
LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem. Guaranteed I'll be out on the dance floor before you can recognize what song is playing. I'll bust a move anywhere I happen to be when I hear this come on.
The Beach Boys - I Get Around. Another childhood favorite.. my sister and I would race around our coffee table for no apparent reason other than this song coming on.
UB40 - Red Wine. What can I say, my dad loves reggae.
Toby Keith - How Do You Like Me Now? - I always mentally dedicate this one to the people who put me down. ;)
Backstreet Boys - Everybody. Can we discuss this music video for a second? Genius. And come on.. it's the BSB.

Do you have a few favorite songs that bring you back to a certain place or time in life?

Photo weekend

Day 28 - photos. Here's some of what we did this weekend...

Ms. Goyard's first voyage

Dual cable cars in our intersection

Goyard Bora trunk..

Backseat ready for our trip to Lagunitas

Crossing the Golden Gate

Beer tasting at Lagunitas

Bottle cap table at Beer Revolution

So how was your long weekend? :)

May budget recap

Another month just about down and it's time for this month's fashion budget recap!

Yup. That's right. A big ole zero. Nada. Niente. Nothing. I spent nothing on clothes - or anything remotely fashion related in the month of May. Am I proud of myself? Heck yeah. Has it been hard? No doubt about that. But ... it's making me realize that I have so many items that I have and don't wear and really, I don't need anything else in my wardrobe.

Of course, this sweater is calling my name. And I'd love to get a plain red cardigan and monogram necklace with my new initials. But that's it, really. So with a suggestion from Lori I've started a google spreadsheet with items I'd like to add to my wardrobe, their link, and approximate cost. This way I can see exactly what I need before I buy it and will hopefully prevent me from owning 10 sweaters in a similar style. I mean, I did buy the bag that I wanted, but that came from a generous gift from my parents that doesn't factor into my budget.

If you have a budget, have you stayed within it for this month? Or are there certain items that you've been lusting after?

And linking up with Fran's fashion bloggers!

Dear Readers

This goes out to you. Thank you so much for stopping by my little place on the web, for encouraging me with new outfits and telling me which pieces you like. For talking me out of items I probably wouldn't use to commenting and making my day. And also agreeing that Rosie is a pretty cute cat.

On some of the harder posts I've written it means so much to read a comment that someone left behind, and you all have been incredibly kind on the posts when I've shown off wedding photos. Seriously - your words make me feel all special inside.

I'm still a bit amazed that anyone would read what I write, and for that I can't thank each and every one of you enough. It really, really makes my little heart sing and feel special when I realize that people do actually read here.

So again, thank you for all of your comments, your views, your likes. If there's something new you'd like to see here, let me know - if you can't stand something I write about let me kno, or if there's a feature to link up with or collaborate on I'd love to be a part of it.

Thank you.

Laura

Something I read every day

Today's prompt is simple - something I read every day. And since I usually need a good break at work.. it has to be notalwaysright.com. ;) If you've ever worked in a customer service industry you can appreciate it, or just marvel at some people.

Happy Sunday and the weekend not ending!

Someone once told me...

11:23PM and I'm still making tonight's deadline for the blog every day in May!

The last Saturday question is about something someone once said. I figure I'll give you one nice and one not so nice.

The bad? A boy telling me he wouldn't go to a dance with me because I wasn't pretty enough. Yeah..more than 10 years later and I still remember it. I hid how badly I felt and shrugged it off, but unfortunately it's one of those comments that just stays with you.

The good? My husband always tells me I'm beautiful. :)

Sorry for such a short post today - had a blast with DH and another friend. Tired and ready for bed while they play video games.

My 3 not so nice traits

Happy 3 day weekend for us in the US! I had a half day Friday so I had a slurpee (coke and cherry, woot), indulged in a mani/pedi and had a nap with Rosie. Here's to a great weekend!

Jenni's question for today is to name our 3 worst traits.

My first is probably that I can be a bit jealous. I'm not going to lie - watching my younger sister getting to do everything I wanted to do (but wasn't allowed to do) still irks me. And watching people at work who just skate by while I sometimes feel like I bust my butt and they get rewarded praised sometimes hurts. But I just have to not compare myself to them - or let what they do affect me. I'm working on this, I promise.

Being selfish is the next one. I also tell DH that I'm not ready for kids yet because I still enjoy being selfish. Vacations, meals out, yes..that Goyard bag... I like being nice to myself. And quite frankly, I'm not done. ;)

Competitiveness. Especially when this comes to school, I strive to be the best. And this is really bad... I'll pick one person out and make it my vendetta to try and get a better grade than them. I did it to DH when we took a class with a group of friends in college - I turned to him and said, I want to get a higher grade than you. Horrible, I know. For the record, we both got A's. Hah. I also usually get this way with bowling, ice skating, volleyball... boy. I should work on this.

Whew. I hope you don't think I'm a horrible person! But what are some of your negative traits?

Things I learned in the real world

Dear school, why you and I seemed to get along (except for you, algebra) you taught me a lot of things through books. But you also didn't teach me the following...

It's okay to make mistakes. It's called life lessons. You'll stumble, you might even fall, but when you get back up you know what not to do in the future.

Laughter is an amazing form of medicine. The more the better.

People change. Friends, family, coworkers. Sometimes, you have to decide to let them go and it's okay.

Whereever you go, there might be people who want to put you down, make you feel small and enjoy laughing at you. You have to grow a thicker skin and just put it behind you.

Your past is what will help shape your present. Without it, where might you be today?

If someone asks you to travel, say yes.

Do whatever you are contemplating, because regret is a horrible thing (unless, it includes spending absurd amounts of money on things you don't need or harming yourself).

A rant.

Day 22. A rant.

I don't really have much to rant about, except for perhaps some stuff on travel.

People. Is it really necessary to block aisles when you are boarding or deboarding a plane? Waiting for someone? Move aside. And when they announce our descent into whatever airport we are landing in is it really necessary for you to jump up and fiddle with your bags in the overhead compartment? We are landing for gods sake. Buckle your darn seat belt.

Tourism is huge in San Francisco. Tourists, move the heck out of my way. Sure, Chinatown is awesome. And Union Square has lots of fancy shops to Oooh and Ahh over. But if you want to do those things, please don't walk 5 across and take up the entire sidewalk. It would be really helpful if you would move out of the way if you wanted to take a photo of something random instead of taking up the sidewalk space. And please don't yell at me when I cross a one way street with no cars coming. Also, heed our warning - wear layers. San Francisco gets cold during the summer. No, we're not lying. Yes, this is California.

People on public transit - share your darn seats. There's really no need to put your backpack on an empty seat in rush hour when you know tired people will want to sit down. Don't be selfish, move over. If you see someone who needs a seat more than you do offer it up. Why should someone your grandma's age be forced to stand just because they got on two stops after you? Be respectful and offer your space up.

And please.. don't be afraid to ask for directions.

Do you have something on your mind? Go off below. ;)

A few favorite posts

Below are some of my favorite posts that I've put on the blog before. :)

2012 in review - Last year was a huge year and here's what happened.

Leaving the comfort zone - I need to get back to outfits like this more often and push myself.

Our honeymoon - Oktoberfest + Italy = win.

All inked up - the stores behind my tattoos

Cattiversary - an ode to my best feline friend

A big piece of love - our engagement

Monday struggles

How the heck is it Monday already? And how the heck is May almost already gone? I'm not lying when I say to you that I'm so excited for this three day weekend. No plans yet but even if we have a staycation I'll be happy.

Jenni's prompt today is to blog on something you struggle with. I guess what I struggle is becoming more evident to me, especially after I forgot to add a stick of butter to my cookie dough last night and realized it didn't look right. I tend to go through things too quickly. Books, directions, emails, money. I'm realizing more and more that sometimes I just need to slow it down for a bit. If I took the time to read that recipe last night and noticed I needed one cup of butter instead of a stick I wouldn't have been scratching my head over my mixer going "what the heck, Laura?". And I know I could save myself time and energy at work if I just stopped to think before responding sometimes. Although my side of the business is very go go go get stuff done asap now I'm noticing that taking that extra 5 minutes wouldn't kill them or hurt me.

And I can say the same thing about life. Sometimes I feel like I'm in such a hurry that I'm beginning to think that I might miss out on something. It could be a sunset or a cool drawing on the sidewalk or anything really - and if I  keep going nose to the grind I might not get to see something really great. I have to remember to live now instead of 50 years down the line (although its always good to think of your retirement, kids) but I have to get better at slowing down, enjoying 28 and today, the now, my present.

Whew.

Are you struggling or having problems with anything?

5 favorite reads.

So let me preface this by saying that a particular bag may or may not have found its way home with me today. Ooops. >:) I mean, I was gifted a generous sum of money for Christmas and while 85% of it remains locked up I did spend 15%. I am looking to clear out some other items of mine so I'm not too too worried. Excited to use it though!

Today blogging every day in May continues with 5 of my favorite bloggers. I do read much more than 5 blogs, but these 5 women have taught me many things about fashion, building a good wardrobe, and I secretly wish I could be friends with all of them in real life. And in no particular order...

Fran of Franish. I'm convinced if I lived closer to this gal I'd hope that we'd be friends in real life (or maybe I'm just hoping so!). She gives me tons of new ways to look at simple pieces and she is off to med school soon and I can't wait to watch her build her doctor's wardrobe. She's also the one who pointed me in the direction of the blog every day in May challenge - so thank you Fran!

Phiphi from Phiphi's Blog. Phiphi has amazing style - she's a mom, works full time and manages to always look amazing. I constantly drool over her Hermes goodies and she is genuinely a sweet lady who I'd love to hang out with in person.

Katie at Hello Katie Girl. Katie is from LA, has an adorable puppy, and an outstanding wardrobe and a keen eye for fashion. I'm always in awe of the fun outfits she puts together and am envious of her Socal weather and fun adventures she has with her husband. I'd love to meet for brunch the next time we come down to LA!

Jeannie of Colorful Corporate. Jeannie is another awesome mom who works and looks chic while doing it. I love her J Crew pairings and the fact that she's not afraid to wear bright colors in what can be a dull corporate environment.

Lisa from Respect the Shoes. Lisa was probably the first blog that I started following where I felt as though she was someone who I can relate to. She is down to earth and doesn't spend a ton of one piece that she may only wear one time - and I can really appreciate that.

There are so many more awesome blogs out there and I hope that this may have introduced you to some awesome blogs to read!

That one time I gave directions..

Happy weekend everyone! DH is recovering from having his wisdom teeth pulled and it seems as if SF is being graced with amazing weather this weekend. Alas, I am indoors tending to a very whiny, albeit justified husband.

The prompt for today is to tell a story from when I was a kid.

I was an only child up until I was 3.5 and that's when my sister Lisa came into the world. The night that she was being born I was with my papa and grandma when we got the call that she was just about here and to come down to the hospital. So we jumped into their little grey 1987 Chrystler sedan (it was SO cool, it talked you guys. It said things like "Door is ajar" or "Gas is low"). Anyway. Instead of taking the freeway we went down a main strip that passes down the Peninsula (it was a freeway at one time when things were simpler..).

My poor papa - he was SO nervous that for some reason he forgot the directions to the hospital. My grandma didn't drive - she just sat shotgun and would hold on for dear life. Regardless - this night was no different.

So I stood in the center divider in the car, yelling out driving directions to my papa, instructing him where to turn.

Somehow, we made it to the hospital in one piece, and I got to meet the person that made me an older sister.

And that, friends, is how I became a backseat driver. And developed a knack to give people driving directions. (alternatively, my dad, for some reason told my sister that when she was born I got so excited I pooped my pants. Not true dad. Not true.).

Do you have any vivid memories or funny stories from childhood? Spill the beans below!

A favorite photo

So this one is pretty self descriptive - a favorite photo of myself.

This is me on my wedding day. I love this shot because it shows my dress, veil, bouquet, and the gorgeous columns of the building next to our venue. And I'm fairly sure that I'm oozing happiness and joy which was pretty contagious throughout the entire day. I normally never ever wear as much makeup as I do in these photos on a daily basis but for the photos it was a good choice. ;)

My earrings were on loan from my mom and MIL, and my pearl necklace was the one that my grandma gave her on her wedding day. Attached to my bouquet are photos of my grandparents, and tucked on the other side was a pin of DH's other grandma and another small jewelry item from his other grandma.

Do you have a favorite photo of yourself - what are you doing and who took it? :)

The harsh deal.

Day 16! I think I'm over the half way mark on the Blog every day in May challenge. Today's topic is another one that's a bit hard and making me think - it's on something difficult about your lot in life and how you are working to overcome in.

I could start by saying that I'm too nice. I'm definitely a people pleasure and I get way too emotionally invested in things - work, personal situations, with my pets. But I think all of these things tie in deeper to my ultimate hard card in life... my ongoing battle with depression.

For as long as I can remember I've always been depressed. Don't get me wrong - I had a happy childhood - but there were times when I would cry myself to sleep at night because I didn't want to get older and lose my family. People would tell me about sad things and I would just become emotionally overwhelmed by it.

In high school it got a bit worse. I was more of a homebody and found comfort in online virtual chat worlds where I could be myself. I did contemplate suicide, and there were times that I inflicted harm upon myself. I did have help through therapists, and in college I saw them as well. But it wasn't until my grandpa got sick that I realized that I couldn't keep living this way so I asked for help through medicine.

And it was like someone flipped a switch. I started to see that it was okay to be sad but I couldn't allow myself to wallow in it. Bad things happen in life - and I realized that some of my depression was hereditary. However, after my grandpa's passing I didn't deal too well and fell into a depression again. This time though, alcohol was my supposed way to deal and it was one of the worst things I've ever done.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I know there might be someone out there who reads this who may be depressed themselves. But you can get help and you can get to feeling better. Tell someone - a family member, a friend. Seek help because it can - and does get better. If I have kids one day and they happen to inherit this from me I want them to know that it does get better. There is a way to get help - the hardest part for me was to ask.

If you are in desperate need of talking to someone, call the suicide help line at 1-800-784-2433.

And for what it's worth.. I've been pretty happy lately and haven't felt dispair in a long time. Sure, I still have my days where I feel off, but no where near the sadness and darkness that I've felt before.

A day in the life.

You will have to forgive me for photos on this one... just got a new phone tonight and I lost the majority of my old iphone pics. :( back up your phones!

I normally start my day around 7:30. Or 8. Depending on how late I want to sleep in. I get dressed, snuggle with Rosie, sometimes watch the morning news for weather, and then throw on a bit of makeup and am out the door by 8:30. I walk (downhill) about a mile to work.

I sometimes grab coffee, but eat breakfast at my desk while checking emails. I work from 9-5 (give or take half an hour or projects I need to finish) before usually heading home. Lunch is 9 times out of 10 with coworkers and eating lunch out is one of my guilty pleasures. It's my time of the day to relax outside of the office and if I bring lunch I'm more than likely to eat it sitting at my desk.

The walk home takes me about 20 minutes since I'm going uphill and I call my mom each day. Once I'm in the door I check our snail mail box.. I'm usually greeted at the door by a very vocal Rosie who is demanding food and treats. Some nights I make dinner, some nights we go out. Sometimes there's happy hours or last minute dinner plans. If DH works late I'll eat leftovers or throw something small together for myself.  Our favorite dinners out include Indian, pizza, or our favorite neighborhood restaurant.

DH and I usually spend some time watching TV each night, or I'll read in bed. We both putt  around on the internet - I catch up on blogs or he with sports, and sometimes he spends time playing COD. And I'm a night shower taker so that happens too. ;)

And I'm normally in bed by 10. What can I say, I need my sleep.

So.. in a nutshell that is my daily life. Pretty boring, huh? But I'm content for now. ;)

10 things.

Can I just stop and rant for a moment that my iphone has bit the dust and now is nothing more than an expensive paperweight and I'm just massively annoyed that I have to potentially shell out 200+ for a new phone. Bah first world problems! *shakes fist*.

On to happier things - 10 things that make me happy in no particular order.

• Books. Good books. Especially being able to read them in bed.
• Afternoon naps. Extra points if its on a day off.
• Traveling. I love going places, trying new things and just experiencing life differently.

• Coffee. Any time of day, I love coffee. Especially caramel macchiatos. And if salted caramel mochas were year round... I'm sure my hips would big bigger.
• A cozy sweater. Nothing tops feeling warm and snuggly in a sweater when the weather is bad or at the end of a long day.
• Photography. I should take my photos because it's really a good release for me. And when I get the shot I want... perfection.

Shake shack. Mmmmm burger.

• Food. Yup. I love food. A good burger, an awesome slice of cake... man. I should also probably go to the gym more.
• Sunny days. Even better when its on the weekend.
• Saturday morning showers. There's something just so great about starting the weekend off squeaky clean.. and its sometimes followed by brunch.
• Our own little family. I love my husband and our pets. I love that right now its just us and our little (cramped) apartment and we can snuggle and just be ourselves. 

What are some of your favorite things?

Dear body:

I'm officially sorry. I know that recently I've put you through a few rough days (alcohol,  bad resort food, and uhm that sunburn) but I did want to issue you an apology.

I'm sorry for all of the times that I've hated you, that I said I disliked certain aspects of you. I guess now at 28 I can tell you I appreciate the freckles that dot my face and shoulders. I'm beginning to like my curves, even though we both can agree that we might do best if we lost a few pounds. My boobs are okay, too. And I have hips, which everyone says will be good for having kids (so lets cross our fingers on that one, k?).

I'm sorry for always wishing you looked different - blue eyes, blonde hair, green eyes, black hair. The fact is, I'm shouldn't have tried to change you but instead embraced you for what you are. Sure, a size 7.5 and wearing a 29 in pants is pretty generic but hey there shouldn't be anything wrong with that.

I'm also really sorry for those dark times in high school when I cut you. I hope you realize it wasn't anything personal- I was just incredibly sick and didn't know what else to do.

I do hope you can appreciate my tattoos - although you might have hated how they felt when they were getting done, they are important marks of times of my life that I wanted to preserve on you. And I'm also sorry for getting my navel pierced because lets both face it - that hurt. But we can also agree on how much we love that nose stud. Thank God its back!

So body, we still have quite a few years left together *knocks on wood* and I promise to keep you in good shape, feed you healthy things and cut back on the fries. And beer. And put on more sunscreen.

You and I are in this together, so lets have some fun. And maybe add another piercing while we're at it. No regrets, right?

Love,
Laura

Lost.

This is without a doubt the easiest and hardest of the May writing prompts to write so far. In a nutshell, I miss my grandparents. Last year I lost my Nonno and my grandma within a span of 5 months, but perhaps the one that will always haunt me will be my papa.

My grandpa's passing was my first loss as an adult, and sadly I wasn't given a chance to say goodbye. I was definitely my papa's girl. He always made me laugh, called me silly nicknames, and I never once failed to know how much he loved me.

 We were very close with my mom's parents growing up - they lived 10 minutes away from us - so whenever we were sick they would come over to sit with us and watch TV. Wednesday nights was dinner at papa and grandma's house and usually consisted of homemade pasta with sauce and chicken. If I ever needed rescuing from my little sister's antics I was whisked away for a sleepover at their house, complete with old western movies and snuggling on the sofa.

At school events, the times I would work in retail, my first time going to Europe, made up for school dances, my first time altar servering and up until my high school graduation there they were, cheering me on from the front row and sometimes wiping away a tear or two because he was so proud.

I hate how he didn't get to see me graduate college because he was so sick, and even more sad that he wasn't able to be there on my wedding day. But the day I walked across the stage to get my diploma and the day I got married I had photos of both of them with me. I hate how I never got to show him my photos from my big trip to Italy. I hate how I never say goodbye, to tell him how much I love(d) him, how much he meant to me and that him leaving has left a hole in my heart that will never heal, that he meant the world to me and he was the best grandpa I could've ever asked for, that I hope I make him proud. I try to console myself and tell him he wouldn't want me to be sad, but there are some days and some times in my life that it's just so overwhelming, that I'm so overwhelmed with grief and dispair and feeling lost because I don't get to share these successes and goals and dreams and my first year of marriage with him.

Perhaps what I miss the most are all the small things I wish I could show my future kids. His calloused hands from working in his wood shop, the beautiful garden at his house, his homemade food, his laugh, his accent, the way he still looked at my grandma after over 60 years of marriage and how he came to America at age 17 on a boat alone without knowing any English, and made an amazing, successful life for him and my grandma.

So, in a nutshell, I miss my papa.

Every day.

Selling myself

Dedicated. Smart. Resourceful. Kind. Trustworthy. Thoughtful.

Anyone want to hang out? ;)

A little bashful.

I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't have any embarrassing stories of myself. It seems as if half of them involve me saying/doing/or being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Booing an N'Sync song at a high school production because I was am a BSB fan got me some snide looks. And lests not forget slipping on a bowling lane and falling all the way down in front of my new boyfriend on the night I met all of his friends. Oh, and that time at the beach I got taken out by  rouge umbrella is one of DH's favorite stories to tell. And 5 days after I turned 21 when Dh's dad had to help me walk down their driveway after I had too many drinks at a family function..sweet move, Laura.

If anything, I definitely try to be more mindful of things that come out of my mouth.. and perhaps dodge those beach umbrellas.

A moment in my day..

Catching up on my May entries! Back from Mexico but getting back on the wagon for the rest of the May writing series ;)

Day 9 - a moment in my day:

Upon taking off at SFO realizing that I'm pretty damn lucky. And perhaps I will just buy that bag after all..

My words to you

Well the bags are packed and set by the door... I just have to set my alarm for the ungodly hour of 5:45 to head to the airport and then its off to Mexico! After the day ended I'm feeling a lot more excited for the trip. I wish DH could go, but I'm also really thrilled to spend time with coworkers and make a deeper bond with some of them.

Today's writing prompt is to blog on a piece of advice that I have for others. I've been thinking about it all day and have been a little unsure of which direction I wanted to take this post, but I've decided to just let it go.

My advice to you? Don't wait. Tell people how much you appreciate them while you can. If you feel like giving someone a call or a hey how are you text or email, do it. Laugh often and if you're thinking about springing for that mocha because you need a little pick me up... go for it. I say this within reason (as I give that goyard bag the side eye) and I don't let a day go by that I don't tell my DH that I love him.

I unfortunately missed the opportunity to tell someone very near to me how much they meant to me before they passed and it has - and I'm afraid will - always stay with me. I know he understood that I love and appreciate him and all the things he did for me, but I'm not quite sure he knew to the extent at which I do.

So, walk the sunny side of the street. Smile at a stranger. Indulge in dessert. Talk. Laugh. Be you. And don't wait.

Scaredy Cat

Ok ladies I need some major help here. I have total bag lust for an item that I shouldn't even be looking at. Someone talk me off my ledge because I was gifted Christmas money from my parents thats burning a hole in my pocket that should not go to a bag.   Right? :/

Bag lust x 100000000.

But on to today's writing prompt is on things that scare you.

The first and foremost thing? Snakes. Yup - thanks dad. I have an absurd fear of snakes so badly that I shudder if I see one on TV, and god help me if I see a live one. I'm not even putting up a photo because I'd probably have to look away. They are just so nasty and gross and the tongue thing I just can't. I can't even bring myself to eat unagi because eels are like water snakes. *Shudders in seat*

Needles most likely rounds out my second choice. Ever since a bad blood draw when I was in the hospital at 16 I've had major needlephobia. DH didn't believe me until he went with me to get a vaccine and I hyperventilated and almost passed out (pregnancy will be fun, oi). Strangely enough, I'm ok with tattoo needles. But drawing blood and getting a normal shot? Ugh god. No thanks.

And the third would most likely be flying. I'd like to think that I'm getting better with it, though! I flew my first transatlantic flight coming back from London and I didn't freak out too badly. I'm better when I'm with others, but I spent a good hour crying on the return flight from our honeymoon and contemplated turning on my phone to call and say goodbye to my parents. Yeahhh. And small planes? No thanks, I'll pass.

But of course, I'm scared of change. I hate to think what will happen one day when I'm older and I don't have my parents here with me any more. Sometimes the ache in my heart is almost too much to deal with - and I still have them. I don't even want to think about it... and if I'm ever without my DH... I'm just not sure I would be able to keep going.

What are some things that scare you - and what helps you to get over them?

My 9 to 5

Three more days until Mexico. Three more days. I hope I can make it three more days!

After seeing Jeannie wear her floral dress this weekend I decided to bring out my floral skirt for today's outfit. I think its stretched and gotten a little big on me but then again.. I don't want to be bulging out of this skirt.
Skirt: J Crew
Blouse: H&M
Phone case in french hens: J Crew

Today's writing of the day prompt is about what I do for work. I currently work at an IT staffing/recruiting firm as an HR Analyst. This is my second year of working in HR and I love it. The majority of my duties include helping to run on and off-boarding initiatives as well as running benefits for the company, employee relations, documentation, and any other day to day things that my boss needs.

I'm incredibly lucky in the sense that I have a fantastic team of coworkers who put up with me asking tons of questions on a daily basis and are also helping me to further my career. HR is not always the easiest thing to do. I often get a little nervous when communicating confidential information to people, especially across email so I double and triple check my work on a daily basis.

I'm also going to be enrolling in a continuing education course through UC Berkeley to get my HR Management certificate so that will start to take up some spare time. For once though I feel as if I really truly like what I do because it makes me think.

What do you do for a career?

My friend Tiffany.

Today's write every day in May challenge is to write about a blogger or real life friend. While I do have a few blogs that I adore I really have yet to make a good friend or two, so I thought I'd dedicate today's post to my best friend since 1st grade - Tiffany.

Tiffany is probably the most kind, selfless person I know. She honestly doesn't have a bad bone in her body and will never, ever say anything negative about anyone. Tiffany is one of the very few people that I know of who put herself through college and getting her master's degree after being dealt with a few hard rounds in life. But - she has never, ever stopped - and for that I admire her so much.

I can always count on Tiffany to listen or make me laugh when I need it, and has been through my side throughout deaths in my family and was one of my bridesmaids in my wedding. She has a contagious laugh and when the two of us get together we always manage to come up with some new joke to keep going.

Everyone who meets Tiffany always seems to say the same thing - she is just the most gentle soul. I know she aspires to be a social worker with adoption cases and I know that one day she will get there.

From volleyball and basketball games as kids, going to rival high schools,  high school dances, college degrees, new boyfriends, breakups, the passing of our grandparents and the distance between us in miles getting longer I can always depend on her.

To my bestest friend for over 20 years - I love you girl and you deserve all of the good things that will be coming your way in life. :)

Who is your oldest and closest friend?

Words to live by

So I've decided that next week while I'm in Mexico for a few days if I can't get online for the every day May blogging challenge that I'll write in a journal and then upload later. I hope that works.. :)

I found this one on Pinterest awhile back and loved it right away. I know its more of a quote about love and all things flowery and romantic, but I also like to think of this when I'm faced with making an adult decision or something that is hard and I'm scared about.

The perfect example that I have is surrounding this is work right now. Two of my closest colleagues are being faced with a tough choice that may ultimately result in us parting ways. I've  been thinking a lot about what I should do when and if that happens. My gut instinct was to go with them or quit all together and start searching for a new job - but when I sat down and talked it out with DH and looked at my options...well... I have nothing to lose if I stay where I am. Truthfully and honestly, I can only begin to grow.

So while I might not be ready to leave them just yet - and quite frankly there may never come a time that I'm ready to - so I'm going to strap on my big girl panties and jump, hoping to learn a lot along the way and help further my career and personal growth while doing so. And this can be said about so many other things too - sometimes being a real adult is just hard.

Are there any quotes that you particularly like to think about or write on when you need some encouragement?

Not so easy.

May 3! Friday! What do you have planned for this weekend? Tomorrow night DH and I have a house warming / cinco de Mayo party to go to, and Sunday is my sister's engagement shower. As long as the weather keeps up here in SF I will be a happy camper, although I'm sure my chinchillas will beg to differ.

Hello, heat wave...

Speaking of things not being so easy.... a few things that make me uncomfortable per todays prompt. Crowds, especially at bars/restaurants/clubs/venues where people are constantly bumping up into you. Snakes (thanks dad). Bathing suits. People clipping their nails at work or on public transit. Spitting. Awkward social situations where you are the third/fifth/seventh wheel. In high school and college it was boys.  Flying, although I'm getting better at it. And taking photos of myself, especially for my blog. The majority of the time DH isn't home and I don't have anything but my iPhone around, so its the bathroom at work for me. Work situations, especially in my field, can leave me wanting to cry/scream/drink/have a day off. But what can you do but hope that tomorrow is better, no?

What things or situations make you uncomfortable, and what have you done to try make those situations better?

My traveling tips

May 2nd - another prompt for writing today. Hurrah!

Lowenbrau Hall at Oktoberfest

Ichia Island off the coast of Naples

Educate readers on something you are good at or know a lot about.

I guess I know a bit about a lot of things... but I thought I'd take a stab at my vacation planning skills.

The most fun thing to do first? Decide where you want to go. Scope out points of interest - for us, we had never been to Naples and wanted to eat real Napolitana pizza. We had been to Cinque Terre but only on a day trip. And Oktoberfest is pretty much all you need to know about Munich in the fall. Narrow down the big things you want to see and you can start to plan your travel around them.

The second most important thing is... setting a budget. Yep. Realizing how much you want to spend on a trip can be the worst part. For our honeymoon, DH and I knew we wanted to get back to Italy.. but we decided to throw Oktoberfest in Munich into the mix. Because Oktoberfest happens in late September/early October we already knew when we would be traveling. We booked our hotel in Munich in February and it was by far the most expensive hotel of the trip, so we attempted to average about 150.00 USD per night for every hotel after that, and about 50USD per day in food (all of our hotels in Italy included breakfast, hurrah!)

Because we live in SF and are at a United hub we stockpiled our frequent flier miles to use for award flights. We paid out of pocket about 500 in airfare for all of our flights (SFO to Dulles [we had a two day layover for family events], Dulles to Munich, Munich to Naples, Bergamo to Frankfurt, and Frankfurt back to SFO). Airline affiliates and smaller European airlines are your friend.

Once we had our plane travel booked we started looking into hotels. We chose hotels that were conveniently located but also offered perks such as breakfast and free wifi (an easy way for us to communicate with our families back home). We then booked train travel to get us around Italy and ensure that we had seats (because sitting in the middle of the aisle is just not a fun way to go).

As we got closer to our departure date we went to our bank and got some Euros so we would have money for taxi or bus fare if we needed it, called our credit card companies, and packed our bags. DH and I both took a carry on to Europe and we did laundry once. Plus, we avoided any nasty fees for checking bags on intra-European flights.

And before you know it... your trip is here and all you have to do is have fun.

Some tips:

• Start reward accounts with hotel groups, airlines, car rental companies - you name it. Anything you can accrue rewards on to use in the future or get discounts on is a plus.
• Make a list of important things you'd like to see (and where they are located..we've been to Florence twice and have yet to see the real David. Or find him. Ooops.)
• Call your credit card company so that you can use your card if you are going out of the country - and if you use your ATM card your pin should be only 4 digits.
• Print out your itineraries, tickets, and boarding passes ahead of time to cut back on freaking out before you leave for the airport.
• Charge your camera batteries and bring extra cords for charging items.

And there you have it!

May blogging month & about me

I saw this on a few of my blogs today and thought I'd attempt the challenge over at Story of my life: Blogging every day in May. I'm always game for a challenge. :) Today's topic is the story of my life in 250 words or less.

My name is Laura. I was born August 30, 1984 to two amazing people I get to call my parents, and was graced by my baby sister Lisa in 1988. I was raised in the suburbs of San Francisco and lived in the same house until I went to college. I graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2007 with a degree in english language literatures and dreams of one day writing a book. I'm the only person in my immediate family to graduate college with a bachelors degree. I travelled Europe for 6 weeks post graduation with my then boyfriend (aka, my husband) and promptly got a job upon returning. That was 6 years ago and today I work full time in human resources and love it. I live in downtown San Francisco with my husband, our cat, two chinchillas, and our fish. I have four tattoos (although most people always say they never think I would have any), and aside from my husband my mom is my best friend. San Francisco is one of my most favorite cities on Earth but I also have been bitten by the travel bug. I still want to write a book, adopt more cats, own a home, and not a day goes by that I don't miss my grandparents terribly. I love food, photographs, the sun, and laughter.

And... there you have it. Me. :)

Linking up for today's blog post.