thanks to my new macbook...i have become an anti-social hermit and broke. I can't seem to pull myself away from the computer long enough to even return phone calls/text messages and i can't stop my entering in my card number (to my rapidly declining bank account) from compulsively shopping online. hopefully this weekend will give my poor eyes a break from staring at this screen and my poor bank account a break from unnecessary spending - because i am going to MONroe to spend the weekend with my boy and ring in the new year with him and friends. I'm sure we will be drinking lots of energy drinks and ill be wearing something extra sparkly and taking way too many pictures and i am just tickled to death to be spending my first new years of many to come with brock! i would consider myself to be a very intuitive person, and my instincts always prove to be right (despite the fact that i rarely listen to my own advice and reasonings) and i just have a feeling...that this year is gonna be a good, good year. (yes, i was mocking the black eyed peas song circa 2008) I've heard it said that your thoughts become your reality (thought manifestation or something like that. i don't know, i read about it in 'the secret') so I'm thinking that 2012 is going to be my best year yet! I'm not sure really sure where I'm going with this...to be honest, I'm just blogging to keep from packing for the weekend because i absolutely dread packing and it gives me utter unnecessary anxiety. but procrastinating makes it even worse so i better get started...HAVE A GREAT NEW YEARS! 

c'est moi! (on my new mac photo booth!)

happy birthday baby jesus

Christmas has come and gone, and its bittersweet sadness/alleviation. This Christmas was top-notch for me...not only did I have extended family come to stay at my house but I got to spend it with my love and his family. It seems as though we spent the whole weekend stuffing our faces with delectable meals and scrumptious snacks, playing dutch blitz (an intensely fast paced card game) at my kitchen table, or sitting the by the fire telling stories and laughing. This Christmas was one of the best Christmas's I have had since the days when Santa used to come down the chimney. But now, its time to get back on track with my work-out plan, get mentally prepared to go back to school in a week or so and focus on ringing in the New Year!  Oh and how could I forget...I am blogging from my brand new Mac Book Pro (thanks mom and dad) and I absolutely love it! I got it for school purposes, in order to take online classes, but...i have a feeling this snazzy new laptop may consequently aid me in my blogging and online shopping addiction, just a tad ;) I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, and remembered the real reason for the season among all the stress and presents. 

the time is now

"its a new dawn, a new day, a new life...for me. and im feeling good" i intend on singing those lyrics as a motto in the year 2012. 2012 is going to be my year to turn my dreams into reality. to turn my wishes into actions. to turn my aspirations into well executed goals and plans. i  have always wanted to do more charity work, to volunteer more, to "pay it forward" and think the time is now to do that. i have always wanted to run more charitable races, to be a real athlete/runner and i think this next year is a perfect time to go ahead and register myself for some local races. i have always attended church but never been a committed member, that was actively volunteering, and i think now is a great time to go ahead and make that commitment. i have a horrible habit of just sitting, wishing and waiting for my life to get better, by some divine intervention or miraculous happening. im good at being a victim of my circumstances, and finding excuses or depending too heavily on others as opposed to being driven and disciplined. i'm constantly and enviously comparing myself to others and idolizing their lives while never really doing much of anything to change or enrich mine. i am a firm believer that nothing is truly impossible, you can get anything out of life that you want, as long as you are willing to do the foot work and put some effort into it. what i dont want is for another year to pass and for me to feel as if i have wasted time, accomplishing nothing, aimlessly passing the days, worrying about superficial things, not growing or learning or evolving or reaching my potential. sometimes we have to know what we DONT want, in order to figure out what we DO want. this year...i'd hope to surprise myself, to develop some positive habits and ditch some bad ones, to find a sense of accomplishment at the end of everyday, to learn more about myself and be more of an individual, to make myself proud, to not take life for granted, to be less self-centered and more giving, to wake up earlier, to spend less time wrapped up in technology and be more present, to count my blessings, to really invest in my relationship with God, and to become the best version of myself that i am capable of being. 

december resolutions

We all in some way or another make NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS, whether you type them up and put them in a frame or just make a mental note of something youd like to improve on or be more committed to - the New Year always makes us feel inspired and motivated. 45% of Americans set New Years Resolutions, and most of those resolutions are related to money and weight.  After we eat like pigs and drink like fishes through the holidays - the start of the new year is always filled with high hopes of a fresh start. "New Year, New You." But, unfortunately, those "New Years Resolutions" have never really stuck with me. (and statistically they haven't with the majority of Americans, either) So I decided to try a little something different and I have already set some December Resolutions and am proud to say that I am 6, count them..6, days into them and going strong! I am building some new habits for myself that involve my physical health and spiritual well-being. Thanks to Jayde Nicole Fitness DVDS (Jayde's Fitness Website) and "The Purpose Driven Life" book by Rick Warren (The Purpose Driven Life on Amazon.com) - my muscles and my faith are getting stronger by the day :) I'm not quite sure what I will do on New Years Eve this year, other than I know I will be giving Brock a big SMOOCH at Midnight and ill probably be wearing something with lots of sparkles.  I will hopefully be ringing in the New Year with a head start...on a stronger, more fit body and be well on my journey of spiritual growth and understanding. No matter what your goal(s) for New Years (or December, if you're like me) make it positive, be an optimist. Research shows that a positive person can live up to 9.5 years longer! That's a lot of new year's... which is a lot more opportunities to get it right! Cheers to that! :) I've got high expectations for you, 2012; don't let me down. 

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.” - Neil Gaiman

an ode to my love, Charleston :)

For a southern girl like myself who loves the beach, shopping and photography - Charleston is practically heaven! Charleston is your quintessential southern town... the cobblestone, the palmetto trees, the carriages, the front porches, the tall church steeples, all make this city as charming as can be. King Street, Broad Street, Rainbow Row, the Battery, the water front park, the rooftop bars, Queen street shopping, the Cooper River bridge, College of Charleston, the market and Folly Beach...I love all of it! Charleston is a beautiful, historical, southern city and after viewing some of my photos Im sure you will agree!  I lived in Charleston for a summer and took for granted the beauty that surrounded me, I cant wait to go back and really soak in all that Charleston has to offer! 

 

technology

I am so old...that I am older than the internet! Sounds pretty old in todays times considering how our lives revolve around staring at screens of different sorts. But not too long ago, there was a simpler life that didn't have internet and cell phones. I have decided I have a love/hate relationship with todays technology. The biggest problem for our next generation is there will be no screen names left available to them, and they will be taking typing class before they learn how to write. Between email, facebook, twitter, pinterest, blogs, tumblr, online shopping, online bill paying, skype, blackberrys, iphones, itunes, ipod, ipads, etc it seems that there isn't much we do these days that doesn't involve staring a computerized screen. (Which, i have learned the hard way can lead to severe headaches and vision malfunctions) Yes, having a cell phone is more convenient than the old "land lines" but people dont really use their cell phones to TALK anymore...i.e TEXT MESSAGING. The downfall of all personal communication. Yes, having facebook and twitter is great way to stay in touch with your friends and family but it is so impersonal and ultimately leads to superficial friendships and relationships. (not to mention the load of drama those social networking websites have the ability to create) Yes, having a cell phone that has web access or an ipad/laptop is convenient but it ultimately detaches you from being "present" where-ever you are! I will sit in the same house with my family and instead of being in the same room and conversing; we will disperse to different rooms and proceed to text one another in order to communicate. I have a funny instinctual feeling that technology, as much as we love it, may be a snake in the grass. Newspapers used to be everywhere, now people have the news available at their fingertips online. People used to purchase cds, now cds are destined to become extinct along with the 8 tracks and cassette tapes because we download our music from the internet.  Mail, such as personal cards and letters, seem to be something of the past as well - why pay for a stamp and go to the trouble of walking ALL THE WAY to your mailbox when you can send someone an email and they receive within seconds? In my opinion that is a perfect example of how technology is making us lazy (and in return why obesity is rising exponentially in America.) Most of society looks at these changes as achievements and advancements but I think we are can be blind and naive to the fact that todays modern technology has had and will continue to have a negative effect on society and with how people interact with one another. Apple stocks (the company) may be doing great but because of that newspaper editors, mail delivers, people who work at the post office, movie producers, music store owners, etc aren't doing so great; they are out of a job. With todays technology it has enabled us all to become lazy and to become detached from the real world - by thinking that we are "more connected" we are actually incredibly disconnected from the primitive methods of fun and from having personal relationships with others. To be quite frank, I believe technology is ultimately going to make us lazy, isolated and lonely, superficial, fat, unhappy and impatient. With that said, i think its time I get off the computer and go outside to take my dog for a walk! :)