Links

more than i bargained for

My annual July adventure up north for green space fresh-air & BLR Play It Forward Event time ended up being way more than I bargained for/planned on/expected/hoped/dreamed of/wished. Like way more. Some good, some bad, and some really ugly.

As I sit in my office back at home base, surrounded by piles of things to take care of (that’s literal and figurative), I look at this photo from a couple weeks ago when I was peacefully sipping coffee at a boat house and think- ahhh…wouldn’t it be nice if life was that calm & easy. (Then I think maybe not so much because we’d never learn how to handle the bumps and bruises that come along.)

BLR at Little Moose Lake

My brother sent this video to me via text the other day when I was on a long drive and just feeling awful. I laughed so hard in my stomach hurt. This is absolutely hilarious, with my favorite line being about the “3-ring sh*t-show” of life. Be warned; this is for adults, lots of eff-bombs/inappropriate language:

Seriously, how can you not laugh at something like this, especially when life is handing you so many lemons every kid on your street would be able to make enough gallons of lemonade to sell & finance their 4-year education?

It always seems by the time I end up sitting down and logging on to write here, I have too much I want to share about my experiences that I don’t even know where to begin. For now I will say that I continue to be so incredibly thankful to all my family & friends for being such a big part in why life is beautiful. (And “brutiful” as my friend Laura says.) Also, Play It Forward 2015 was an amazing success and I am one happy camper about that. (More on our event here soon. Our generous volunteer photographer, Nicole is editing photos as I type.) Beyond those two things today, I will share some things I have learned and re-learned from this crazy summer of 2015 so far:

*Life is too short

*There’s a lot of fear floating around this earth

*If you feel like you want to do something or say something, you should start doing it right now

*There are few things better than spending time with good old friends

*You will never forget that time when you were a grown adult that your Mom literally had to hold you up and hold your hand at a funeral- otherwise you would have never been able to do it. (I love you so much, Mom.)

*If you compartmentalize deep/heavy/important/significant stuff for too long, it will rear It’s ugly head sooner than later

*We must wake up everyday even when we are drowning in that sea of lemonade that has come rushing toward us (see above making lemons out of lemonade), and be inspired to do better, be better, and live better- even when we feel like total crap

Feeling scared, sorry for yourself, or overly bummed about tough stuff or things that are happening that are not so awesome? Think about those people (we all know far too many) who no longer have a choice; The ones who if they did, would give anything and everything for a chance to just be free and feel healthy, to spend just a few more minutes doing something they’re passionate about, to have just one more hug from the ones they love.

Now that’s motivation. 

Go get it, ya’ll. Put the courage belt on, clip yourself in tight for an incredible ride, and start driving. Live. Time’s a wastin’

#StayInspired #Believe #LiveWhileYoureLiving

0
0

today is the day; play it forward 2015

Huge thanks to The Bennington Banner for this article about our event today!

Play It Forward is so much bigger than just a soccer game. It is about bringing people together, honoring loved ones no longer here, and celebrating memories and time together. It is a reminder about what’s important, where we came from, and is meant to inspire us all to truly live while we are living.

All hands in

This is year four, and I can’t believe it! Countless hours and efforts have been put in and I as I type this with a big smile I could not be more proud. I am humbled and honored to host this event, and so thankful for all the love, support & help from so many friends, family, alumni and community members.

BLR Play It Forward 2015…here we go!

Remember. Celebrate. Live.

#PlayForwardGiveBack #StrongMojo #Community

0
0

some faces that inspire me to always keep trekking

Our event weekend is approaching fast, just 10 days away! Thanks to the Bennington Banner for getting the word out locally for us.

I’m honored to host this annual community event, and so appreciative to all who come out, donate, and/or participate so we can keep the memory of these amazing girls alive:

Dedication page

Here’s to loving & living like today is the day.

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

#ThingsThatMatter #PlayForwardGiveBack #StrongMojoForever

1
0

LET. LOVE. RULE.

Well this is some of the best news that could ever come across the airwaves!!! (And it totally deserves a triple exclamation point.)

My sister visited this week. I took this photo of her to send to a sick friend, but how perfect an image for a day like today?

With heart

So incredibly happy for many friends and families today. Love will always win. Period.

YAY! Finally!

#LetLoveRule #Equality #LoveAlwaysWins

0
0

this week last year

Because I am a nerd, and I live a life of reflections, I thought I’d peruse the ol’ iPhoto today to see what I was up to during this week last year. I found photos of cocktails & dinner in Charleston during a work trip!

Check out our visit to Xiao Bao Biscuit- recommendation from an old foodie friend who lives in Charleston:

IMG_5032

Xiao Bow Biscuit is located in an old auto shop/garage and a cool, hip, clean space. The servers/bartenders were all attractive & fit young guys wearing simple grey v-neck t-shirts. (Ahem, single ladies- let’s just say charm, talent, and good bod be found here. Come one and all! Meow.) We ordered the recommended cabbage pancake from the menu, which I usually would have made the barf face at, until it came and I ate it- then we ordered a second one because it was that good:

Charleston Eats

Who likes cabbage?! I do now.

My silly partner in crime mimicked what the fish he ordered looked like:

Charleston Eats

I’m not a fish girl, so this was not my thing, but he was like a ravenous beast in heaven eating dinner. Results?

Charleston Eats

…just skin & bones, baby!

We had a great time here, then wandered the streets to the next recommended bar where we got yummy cocktails & dessert. Charleston is chucked full of endless delicious eateries and places to get good drinks. Mark your calendar and plan a trip to this little charming southern city- you will be glad you did.

#RoadTrips #Flashback #Foodies

0
0

blr do-gooders!

Well happy Monday to me to wake up to an email from my 6th grade (and might I add, favorite) teacher of all time, Mr. B this morning:

Diane,

Here is a picture from the front page of today’s Banner. I thought you’d like to see. Nice t-shirt, eh?  Good choice for the scholarship. Hope you are well.

And then there was a link to this:Making BLR proudYay! How proud are we of our July 2013 Blue Lollipop Road Memorial Travel Scholarship Winner, Mercedes Chen?!

BLR and Mercedes Chen

We thought she was deserving of our scholarship dollars in 2013, and to find this surprise today in May of 2015? That. Is. Awesome. I love that someone we chose for a winner, who embodies the spirit & zest for life our friends had, continues to do good for the community we grew up in.

High-fives & BLR love to you, Mercedes! Glad you are wearing the BLR colors with pride. Keep doing what you’re doing!

#GreenUp #HometownPride #NeverForgetWhereYouCameFrom

0
0

b*tch stole my book title/subject/vibe! (again.)

From a friend this morning via text:

I went to a bookstore yesterday to try to find this book I’ve been wanting to read…they were sold out of that book, but I came across this in my search and had to get it for you:

Books I love

(The photo came in on my phone screen and the text continued…)

I don’t know anything about it, but it seemed too Peacock-esque to pass up:)

Do cool sh*T? Quit your day job, start your own business and live happily ever after?! Does this author live inside my head or what? (And I guess my friends know me pretty well, too.)

Recently, I wrote this post after my sister sent me Jen Sincero’s Badass book that I read in about 22 seconds. That was just a couple months ago and here pops in the above book. (I see a pattern here.) I haven’t yet read a page in this one, but I have a feeling based on the title and what I read about the author, I’m going to love it.

Did Jen Sincero or Miki Agrawal “steal” anything from me? No, of course not, they just beat me to the punch on finishing & publishing books like these, and jumping out to the world in a focused way asking for people to pay for sharing their knowledge & experience. (Man I have to get better at that whole charging for the value I bring to the table, thing.) At least I’ve been plugging along with my book, so sometime this century you will see me shamelessly self promoting my written words all typed and bound so pretty on shelves around the world.

This will happen.

Until then, I will take extra motivation and inspiration from badass & cool (see what I did there? HA!) author ladies like these.

Are you doing cool sh*t, or at least trying to?

Thanks for the book, A!

#LifeIsShortDoCoolShit #TodayIsTheDay #BeatOfMyOwnDrum

0
1

headin’ down to the bayou

There’s a Cajun in my life, so we’re heading down to where crawfish is a main food group, and hot sauce is believed to be the only condiment needed.

ROAD TRIP!

After a night in the tent at the Jellystone Campground (HA! Yes, for real) where the bathroom and shower doors were on lockdown, we stopped for breakfast feeling nice n’ greasy at the Georgia Express Diner:

BLR Breakfast

…where couldn’t wait to take a bite:

Breakfast inTthe South

“Y’alls” were swirling around this place like the Tasmanian devil on his fastest day, and we were out the door filled with pancakes, cheesy-egg biscuits, omelette’s, grits, toast, and too much coffee for $12.89:

Breakfast in The South

Our waitress fully fit the southern stereotype, sweet as pie as you’d imagine. Mornings like these I absolutely love; The randomness on the road and connecting with strangers hearing their stories in a place unfamiliar.

Tent camping, cheap diner breakfast, and learning about how other people live. Ahhh…travel.

How do you find adventure?

#RoadTrip #Georgia #Diner

0
0

go solo

Love articles like this and couldn’t agree more. Want to find your inner badass? Just go. Go alone, and don’t wait for anyone. You’ll surprise yourself.

BLR Honda Sponsored trip

Here’s an article I contributed to a few years ago. I wrote about jumping out of your cozy comfort zones, too:) Even Vanilla Ice said I’m on a roll and It’s time to go solo.

Where do you go alone?

#LifeOfATraveler #SoloTravel #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad

0
0