Beachcomber

This week in pictures, through the eyes of a local...

Slow Down & Savor Something

Has your mind ever been a step ahead of what you're doing at the current moment?

Silly question, I know.

Sometimes we think being only one step ahead is slacking off.



If we're off somewhere in the future in our minds, what becomes of the moment right in front of us? Our minds don't come with built-in DVR's that can store this moment up for later review.

These days, when I find myself in a flurry of "next-up's" or "what-if's", I say this affirmation (more on this subject coming soon) to myself:

"There is time & space for everything I want to do."

Instead of thinking of what we're going to do next (because we will do it, so no need to worry), how about we savor what you're doing right now?

We can stretch out those moments like a rubber band & see what they bounce back to us as a result.



Let's slow down & savor...

Taking an intoxicating whiff of the coffee beans before we grind them. Go on, sniff them again.

Staying in the shower for a few seconds after we're done. Just feeling the water cascade down.

The long line at the grocery store that affords us the time to take some deep breaths; to just focus on listening to ourselves breathe.

That first sip of perfectly melty marshmallows atop hot cocoa.

Thrift store finds! See how it all worked out? We didn't need to beat ourself up over not nabbing that cast iron skillet all those months back. There was an even better one there today!

Listening to our gut instinct. (When something pulls us in the direction of the thrift store, we best respond!)

That smile from a stranger across the library.

Achieving the perfect ratio of peanut butter to jam!

Feeling safely wrapped up in the sweater we borrowed from our boyfriend.




One more thing...have a great day on purpose! (What are you about to savor?)

April Tunes

Spring has awakened & is stretching its limbs like a newborn! 

Join in & discover your spirit while breathing deep. 

Be like a sunflower & bend over backwards to bask in the sunshine. 

Inspired by Catherine over at designEDITOR, I've created a playlist to make your toes wiggle!

Listen to the playlist HERE! (Pssst. Need some dancing inspiration?)

One more thing...have a great day on purpose! (As you're tackling that spring cleaning, don't rag on yourself for being a pack rat. When you're ready to let go of something, you'll know.)

Friday Flipbook: Week 30

This week in pictures...

Liven Up Your Workspace!

Pen? ✔ Stapler? ✔ Clock? ✔

The very checklist of office supplies may be predictable but no one said it had to be ordinary! Instead of watching the clock all day, have a little fun in your workspace! 


I'm not saying bring a hula hoop into your office (but if you can make that work, go for it! & while you're at it, maybe give me a lesson? Thanks!) but you can make your mundane supplies a little more lively.

Take a work break & check out the slideshow of whimsical office supplies that I curated for Kirtsy!


Oh! And remember to have a great day on purpose! (Syndicated episodes of The Big Bang Theory sure make the day fantastic!)

Airbrushing Schmairbrushing

Before & After Airbrushing

So, I was watching Fashion Police because I get a kick out of the oddball things that are considered fashionable (like when I remark that feathered shoes resemble chickens then learn that they cost $2,000) & amid the amusing confusion, I snapped this photo.

Dear Warm & Fuzzy Feeling Hunters,

You are not a manipulated two dimensional image.

You are live, in the flesh & everything that you need to be.

You are enough. 

Remember that. (Especially when you browse the magazine rack.)

One more thing...have a great day on purpose! (Listen to Dr. Seuss: "Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than you.")

Birds Flying High

I'm thrilled to showcase a series of photographs that Alex snapped on Easter!

(The beach unknowingly pulls us there every holiday. And we're not complaining.)

To me, these shots were just begging to become black & white.

Enjoy! I know I have already looked at them about thirty times. Just lovely, they are!

"He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; 
one cannot fly into flying." 

― Friedrich Nietzsche

“If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing.”

― Coco Chanel

One more thing...have a great day on purpose! (Look up & find the birds.)

National Scrabble Day

Leave it to this word nerd to know such a thing! In place of my usual Friday Flipbook, I invite you to go Kirtsy & look at the slide show I curated to celebrate today's occasion!


PS- Tomorrow happens to be National Pecan Day so you should take a gander at my 'Sinful Pecans' recipe & hit the grocery store STAT!

PPS- While you're waiting in line at the store, remember to have a great day on purpose!

Lucky...

...if...

I make it in & out of the store with only what's on my list.

I don't accidentally burn myself during holiday cooking. (I didn't on Easter!)

I can decide my restaurant order without a brainstorming session. (I am so getting better at this.)



...that...

my mom insists that I wake her up if I can't sleep because she "could always put on a pot of coffee & stay up" with me.

there are care packages from family on the other side of that knock on the door.

I can light candles & melt into a steamy bath.

I am aware of patterns in me that I'd like to change. (And that I have the strength to do so.)

I have a man who works so very hard for us.



Be good to yourself & have a great day on purpose. (I love turning pennies over so they're lucky for the next person. Try it!)

I'm Literally Laughing Out Loud.

I'm about to share something with you.






You can't share this with anyone else, okay? 






I mean it. In this media savvy world, you tell one wrong person...






Pinky swear?

Peanut Butter Jelly Time

Did you know that my nickname has always been Peanut? 

How have I not told you this until now?

My mom said that when I was born I reminded her of a lil' peanut. History was written. I respond faster to Peanut (or "Pea") than I do my own name. So much so that coworkers even call me that. Then, one day a client even did! And I loved it.

Fast forward twenty some odd years later to when I got a job at a bank. My coworker, Anne, was a seasoned banker & took me under her wing.

(With another coworker of ours, we were a trio & liked to call ourselves "Peanut Butter & Jelly." But I digress.)

One day early on she was telling me how much money I could have out on the floor (as in, in my locked drawers) & I was responded with "Oh, I don't think I'd feel comfortable with that much money out." She sweetly giggled* & said "Well then you don't have to keep it out here, love."

That memory built the foundation of our friendship. She was then & remains to be such a nurturing voice. To know her is to feel like you're home. We haven't lived near each other for some time now but we've never left each other's side. And that is what family does.

(*Note: I hope you have a friend whose delightfully great laugh can make you happy. Anne is that for me!)

Now, let me tell you another story. 

Happy As A Clam

Confession: I generally get along better with men than with women. Yeah, I'm one of those girls...

...who understands:
SportsNation, consuming incredible amounts of chicken wings*, Nintendo games, mud, vintage cars

...and doesn't "get":
pink, gossip, marathon shopping days, cattiness, fashion, The Bachelor

Don't get me wrong, I happily get together for coffee, savor luscious bits bars of dark chocolate & watch my favorite chick flicks on repeat like no body's business! (Is this ingrained into our estrogen, or something??)

But I've also been found in sports jerseys telling the ref how I really feel & waiting hours in line for a sneak peak showing of Star Trek.

So, needless to say, when I find other women who are cut from the same awesome cloth, I'm happy as a clam! I'm all about casting Comedic Actresses in my life story, sparing the drama.

Bethany is one such lady. We met in calculus class almost a decade ago [insert gaping open mouth as that dawns on me] & we've had a girly case of the "like likes" for each other ever since. I'm convinced that her heart weighs more than she does.


(I'm thinking of getting this for us. You should get one for you & your bestie too!)

Announcement: Today is Beth's birthday!!

Friday Flipbook: Week 29

This week in pictures...

Is This The Line?

Tucked behind this unassuming roadside kitchen with its own garden out back was a mob of people with a taste for beer. Mob may not be the right word.

I take that back. It's the perfect word. With souvenir glasses & drink tickets in hand, we set off to line up for sample after sample of freshly brewed craft beer*.

But...where was the line? 

Great question! 

We were overwhelmed by a medley of lines all weaving together without rhyme or reason like something out of Alice In Wonderland. 

I stopped to ask the Mad Hatter if this was the end of the line & he retorted with a laugh, "It curves right there, winds back that-a-way, behind the tents, through the woods & to Grandmother's house we go."

OK, I added the Grandmother's bit in place of "it ends near that Bud Light truck."

Whaddya Know?

"I think it's 3."

"Are you sure it's not 2?"

"I can see it in my head. Wait, was it 2 & maybe one girl is stuck in the background?"

On Tuesdays, you can find us at a local Trivia Night summoning the vision of how many back up dancers are in Beyonce's "Single Ladies" video.

We follow that up with a plate of wings while pondering whether car accidents or strokes account for the third highest percentage of fatalities.

If you're wondering, for both of these questions one of us had the right answer but we went with the other person's guess. The bar may have been big but there was no room for second-guessing. It's just not Trivia Night until you're shouting "I knew it!" & throwing your head into your hands.

Waiter!!! Another round, please.

[Note to self: Nothing innocent follows an emcee's disclaimer of "I don't name the teams, I just read them."]

We headed home long after midnight marveling at how much yet how little one can know simultaneously. We also thanked the heavens our schoolteachers weren't there as they would have taken our gold stars away.

Here's a little taste of one of the rounds we played!

Questions:
1. Name the 5 most common last names according to the 2000 US census.
2. Prunes come from what type of tree?
3. What kind of galaxy is the Milky Way? [Hint: It starts with an 'S'.]
4. This state is comprised of 90% forested terrain.
5. This animal is considered to be sacred in Thailand.


Ready for the moment of truth?

The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia

Ever have a day so serious it makes you quote country music song titles?

This was no such serious day. Seriously though, it may be April Fool's Day but I'm not joking you. The lights did go out. In South Carolina. But it was during the day. I'm reaching here, I know. Humor me, will ya?

I just have one question for you...

Tell me, 

if you were left alone in the dark with boxes upon boxes of baked goods in a darkened grocery store...

would you be complaining?

Didn't think so. 

I would happily take them to the nearest broom closet for seven minutes of heavenly sweet bliss.

But no, no, no. The hoard of customers surrounding us raised the tense meter up to "state of emergency" & rained on the happy parade.

Geez, people. The lights went out. Don't have a cow. Just have a cookie! 

Be grateful that you now have a story that starts with "remember that time we were shopping & the power went out?".



One more thing...have a great day on purpose!