sir, im citing you for rudeness!

tact. i feel like this has become a lost art in our generation. lately i have witnessed conversations where people speak in crazytalk before they realize who is around them or have read emails which are so poorly worded that we have no idea if the person is angry or just confused. now im not calling myself Emily Post, but i sometimes feel like being the rude police!

it's rude to read emails and then not answer them. its rude that when you do answer them and then go on to leave four word answers to entire questions. tone means everything in communication, and when you arent aware of what you writing or saying, people can misconstrue your words and then form judgments on who they think you are. yes, people judge you on your actions by far, but in this century, your words leave behind a lasting impression of your character.

that ends my public service announcement of the day for my generation. now im going to go back to crocheting lace handkerchiefs, shining my cookie jar shaped like a cat, bestowing smiles upon all that pass by me and mailing rude citations through the american postal service. anyone know how much stamps are and if they still exist? till next time my dear children.

dry season

its time for a fluffy post! yayyyy!


the advent of cold weather has brought along gross germs and of course my ever present favorite condition: the dry factor! dry skin has been a plague of mine forever and none more so than when winter hits. i drink oceans worth of water which always helps, but i rely on some lovely products to keep me de-ashified.


here are three of my current faves, to keep me and my being hydrated:


1. Aveda Dry Remedy Daily Hair Repair: I've been a fan of Aveda products for many years and always love going in to the store to see what new goodies they have. I like their Smooth Infusion and Dry Remedy lines, which is good for processed and dry hair. They discontinued making the lovely Elixir leave-in conditioner, but this Daily Hair Repair is a better replacement I think! Lately I have been trying to avoid using my straightening iron and hair dryer during the work week, and I've found that this small change, in addition to this product, make a difference on my hair. Its more moisturized and looks healthier when I do use heat on my hair on the weekends. I just put a small palm sized bit on after the shower in the morning and let it air dry. Its a detangler too and smells good!

2. Vasline Deep Moisture Creamy Formula: I'm really not fun times when Im sick, so I try to do my best to avoid it at all costs. This is kind of a hard feat, because I am surrounded by coughy, sneezy people on the crowded Metro and at work. This means I make it a point to wash my hands 10,000 times a day. In addition to drinking all my tea, the amount of times I go to the bathroom has probably officially scared my coworkers. As a result of this constant handwashing is that my hands can look scary if I dont moisturize! My Origins Brand Percipitation Extra has been my go-to for many winters now, but it's expensive and I only like to use sparingly. Plus it comes in a big jar which I cant lug around. I need a hand cream that is work-purse friendly and does the job. I found this lil number when perusing the Target aisles (and walking away with 50 other things- Target gets you every time!). I love this stuff - I dont have to constantly reapply and it does works so well without leaving behind a greasy feeling as I type away. My hands are happy and clap together in the Happy Happy Joy Joy song! Best part yet- its less than 4 bucks!

3. Blistex Complete Moisture Lip Balm: After walking the mean streets of DC, my lips feel the cold air out there. I feel like you can never get enough lip balm. At home I use my trusty vaseline for the best possible hydration, but when I am out and about, I can get into a panic if I dont see a lipbalm in my purse. I buy a few different kinds to keep handy. I really like the balms with Menthol to get that nice kick, but I find that using Menthol-based balms means I become obssessed with reapplying constantly to get the Menthol high (recovering Menthol addict talk). Burts Bees is a good natural Menthol-free alternative so I have a few of those with me, that is, until I found Aveda's Lip Saver which was pretty much magical. This has been replaced by horror and lip sadness, because I lost my Lip Saver two weeks ago! A moment of silence. I didn't feel right paying close to 10 bux again for a brand new one (that puppy was supposed to last for awhile!) so I went into a CVS and found this Blistex. Presto, change-o, yay. Its true to its name, moisturizes really well and smells so good. Best part is, it glides on so smoothly- so its just fun to put on, and theres nothing better than having fun while hydrating!

Till next time, stay moisturized out there!

so long, so long

hello; until we meet again. the start of something new; the end to a new beginning. carefully constructed walls held in place; secret smiles as the bricks come tumbling down. staying vulnerable; becoming exposed. laughter and greetings, reluctant farewells. opening up; guarded expressions. hands that hold; fists that close. connections, severing ties. giving it your all, sweeping it under the rug; believing, turning away; letting someone in, letting someone go; learning the truth, accepting the truth; clasping on to the last strings of a story, closing the chapter; never say never.

life is too short to hold on to things; instead hold on to those that care about you.

hello....goodbye.

may you find comfort

When you go through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers; they will not go over you; when you go through the fire, you will not be burned; and the flame will have no power over you-
Isaiah 43:2.

All my love. All my prayers.

perceptions

Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your warm greeting. -Mother Teresa

It's not what you look at that matters, its what you see- Henry David Thoreau

unleash the flood gates!

cue oprah segment with sad music seeping into the scene and someone recounting their story of survival admist a grainy background. the seven-year-old me (same face but with pigtails) looks over at my mom only to see her eyes welling up with pools of water just waiting to fall in streams. seconds before i had just been talking to her and all was normal, or so i had thought. my mom always seemed to have the ability to do this- instantly tear up at any given moment, and i remember being so in awe of this superpower of hers. try as i might, the magic tears could never just fall instantly- but they surely followed when i got into trouble, had a nightmare or when my brother found some fun way to use me as his WWF doormat.

twenty something years (let's really not do the math here) later, it seems that i have finally developed this superpower, and its becoming, well, all-enveloping and yes, even slightly embarrassing. getting old has been the theme of many of my blog posts, and lets face it, its lending itself to this one too. ahhh! seriously, i can walk by the pet store at the mall and be magnetically drawn to the doe eyes of a puppy just waiting for a home, or watch in dismay as someone frantically runs to catch their bus, only to just miss it by a mere seconds, or spot a lonely forlorn glove laying on a busy street, that's lost its partner as people keep walking by without acknowledging its existence... and yes, i will start tearing up to all of the above scenarios. forget tv- every other segment is just itching to start my water works. id especially like to say to the makers of extreme makeover: home edition how does your writer/researcher function without Kleenex's strapped to their bodies when creating all episodes? weddings, family events, sunsets, prayer= guaranteed tears. and recently, i've spent the last few weeks driving home from work, listening to meaningful lyrics and those pesky tears will begin their slow descent down the sides of my cheeks.

dont even get me started on my kryptonite: an old person. a bent-backed old man could be walking by, and my heart dips, and my eyelids start anticipating the pursuit of steady rush of tears. thats all it takes- a mere walkby by an old person! i become putty in their leathered arms, and if they told me to do something crazy like sit next to them, not uttering a single word and just stare at a blank wall for 10,000 hours, i would sooo do it without hesitation.

whats bringing on this onslaught? and why now? ive found myself trying to find the answers. you know, when someone asks the question, 'what is your favorite trait about yourself?', i can quite confidently say that one of those redeeming qualities that God has so graced me with, has been an ability to really empathize with others. and as of late, my new friends- my tears, have taken this to make sure they accompany moments where i can feel especially in-tune with a person, emotion or thing.

this is certainly not by accident and i finally get why my mom had the ability to cry so easily at the oprah scene so many years ago. its because she connected to that person, their story, their moment on a deeper level. it finally dawned on me, that my newfound superpower is one that should really be seen for what it was: a superpower! my tears shouldn't be reason for any sense of embarrassment or weirdness. in fact, when it comes down to it, ive realized something amazing about them, my tears don't hold me back from anything-- its really quite the opposite....

my tears make me feel alive.

the ride home v.2

playlist
Straight Away- Mat Kearney
Vindicated- Dashboard Confessional
Keeper- Yellowcard
If It's Love- Train
Sweet and Low- Augustana
Lack of Color- Death Cab for Cutie
Everybody's Changing- Keane
Best Friend- Weezer
Empty Me- Chris Sligh
Till Kingdom Come- Coldplay

the ride home

splashes of color blended lovingly in strokes across the darkening sky, conversations between myself and God, taking in the music that seeps into the quiet of the early evening in an absolute and perfect harmony, recollections of people and times i once knew and have yet to know, sorting through images of recognition, of disregard, and of gratitude; holding onto moments that have already passed and anticipating moments that have yet to evolve; the time of the day when my emotions feel magnified yet also strangely still, when a small somber wave of melancholy finds its way in, and slowly subsides into larger currents of reflection, finally revealing the light and the hope that (still) remains.

between sunset and dusk

im still the dreamer i've always been.

warm plays from coldplay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo49REpQCwA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOZUKppndaE

stage: wiser

i miss writing, or in my case, rambling endlessly. it's one of those things that i used to love to do, but routine things slowly start stringing together to create a regiment that is hard to break out of. someone mentioned i hadnt blogged lately, so yes, here i am.

saturday marks another year older, and more importantly, the last of my twenties. ahhh! for a girl-woman (lets face it, this is how i label myself!) this is a majorly gagtastic deal. i usually use my birthdays to reflect on my past year, more so than new years. its crazy how much can happen in a year. i think about where i was last year during this time, and where i am now. its been a good year- a year of new beginnings, a year of some endings and in general a year of personal growth.

gone are the childhood dreams and the feeling that life should happen in its proper stages. if that were true by 29- i'd be the brown tina fey, writing sitcoms about the awkward situations i get into, and living in a brownstone in NY with two adorable chubby babies and my awesome husband (also a george clooney lookalike and a diehard skins fan). in present reality i can most certainly check off: being involved in awkward situations. i guess i realized about two/three years ago that just because things dont happen in the stages you want them to, it doesnt mean you shouldnt be happy with where you are.

it really is all about how you look at the situation. this piece of advice goes a long way.

hey, so i may not be tina fey BUT i do have cool glasses and can make non-famous people laugh; i dont live in NY, but i live in DC- still a culturally vibrant city to be proud of; i dont write sitcoms but i still work in television, where i've always wanted to be; i get to hold, visit and love some seriously adorable chubby babies; and my awesome husband will come along...whenever he freakin chooses to show up. lol.

im 29 and im loved, the best gift i could be given (insert your gaggers here). i have a lot of amazing people in my life - my family who is there for me unconditionally, and my awesome friends who are my outlet for laughter and understanding. people that teach me everyday that life is more than about than about checking off the stages or accomplishments- it's about being resilient when faced with devestating news, having faith in each other and God, bouncing back when trust is broken, and it's about loving, laughing and celebrating what you got.

i give a lot of myself to the people that i truly care about. i share my joys, my thoughts...myself pretty openly. some people may see this as a weakness and yes, it does leave me in situations where i am taken advantage of. but this year i have learned, that i will not be in situations where i am the only one giving. perception vs. reality is actually a very thick and a very distinct line, and that is something i have realized. learning the truth about a situation can be enlightening or disappointing, but...it is still the truth. and thats something that the older me has finally learned. a little less dreamer, a little more realist? perhaps, but i can accept that. ill always have some tinkerbell still left in me.

so this weekend, i'll say a toast to you all, laugh a lot, be thankful, and drink to another year of the life i've been given.

this concludes my afterschool special post. i really AM turning into kevin arnold!

"You start your life with a clean slate. Then you begin to make your mark. You face decisions, make choices. You keep moving forward. But sooner or later there comes a time where you look back over where you have been....and wonder who you really are"- The Wonder Years

blizzard begone!

funny how a week of snow can slowly make you go nutso pants. so much so that im actually excited to go into work tomorrow and function amongst the public. i miss the semblance of routine that has been engrained into a office worker such as myself. rushing into the building, saying hello to the guards, milling past the tourists, warming my hands with my mug of ginger tea, using my hand sanitizer to get rid of sick co-worker germs I may have received while in the kitchen, arriving at my desk, forgetting my outlook password and then calling the help desk to get a new reassigned, and ultimately reveling in the fluorescent lighting and bad air quality that surrounds me. i even miss riding on the lovely metro with an hour and a half delays between each train...okay wait, clearly the snow has seeped into my psyche and i HAVE gone nuts. the metro i dont miss, E V E R!

the blizzard of 2010 has been entrapment at its best. i cant complain too much because we've been blessed enough to have power for the most parts (except for times when it goes out and india freakout flashbacks of the words 'the current is gone' are relived with scariness until it flickers back on) and my mom has been cooking indian food delights, and my family is safe. im definitely thankful in that regard. it just sucks knowing that you dont have the ability to break out. ive been wasting time on the internet or in my room doing nothing useful. facebook is filled with either snow statuses or the rude people who taunt us with the 'sucks to be you dc.' thanks guys no one cares you moved away to better weather. i cant even get into tv because the local channels have taken to showing tickers of snow closings that are super distracting. we get it, the entire civilization is CLOSED! how bout you just tell us what is actually open so we can all call in and complain with outrage? i'd also like question why the same of episode of "millionaire matchmaker" keeps playing on bravo all day long. however i'd like to thank the scheduler for throwing "walker, texas ranger" into the mix- because chuck norris outcools patti stanger any day!

but yes back to the realization at hand, working from home is no fun at all! every time i want to get up and talk to my coworker about something...i realize there’s no one here but the voices in my head. emails just aren’t the same and having no meetings to break up your day is just smelly! so this blizzard has taught me that as much as i always long for the option of 'working from home' - after this week i can see why i clearly cannot. i like saying hello to everyone i pass and interacting with people. so tomorrow when i go in, i'll take a minute to breathe in my polluted dc air and welcome the watercooler chatter :-)

short and sweet

2010 has quickly approached and I feel like being halfway across the globe made me miss the pomp and circumstance of welcoming in the new year. being on a bumpy plane ride over the atlantic on new years eve is really quite special. so special that the pilot never told us when the clock struck 12am. thanks qatar airlines! luckily my dad was on the case. he happened to look down at his watch (still set to american time) and told me yes, we were in fact were ushering in a new decade. i gave him a twisty sidehug (as best i could in my aisle seat), screamed a silent "woohoo!" and whispered happy new year to my mom, bro and sil who were in peaceful slumber.

new year, new slate, yadda yadda, woohoo. i love new beginnings - mostly because you are still optimistic about what is about to unfold. with age comes cynicism (id like to thank Conan for addressing this so eloquently) and lets face it, that sux. why waste time worrying about why you dont measure up, what you are missing and why people dont care as much about something as you do? and the list goes on....

so i only have one resolution this year consisting of two very simple but powerful words:

be happy.