Photos

365 days of blue lollipop road; day 32

2.1.14

Whoop! The temperature got above 50 degrees today! Feels like It’s been a while, so we had to get outside and go for a hike at Kings Mountain State Park:

Playing with mud, rocks, sticks, and leaves is fun. Being in the great outdoors with good company that helps you collect rocks and sticks is uber fun.

Here’s to weekends outside!

This is where I found my Blue Lollipop Road today. Where did you find yours?

#BLR365 #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad #NatureWalks

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365 days of blue lollipop road; day 31

1.31.14

I fulfilled my week-long hankering for the best veggie burger around today, and we went to Pinky’s for lunch. I was starving, so I thought a fried pickle app was a good idea. Then we decided to play with them and the condiment tray:

Nothing like a responsible 35 and 41 year-old squirting hot sauce, ketchup, and mustard all over the place for reasons of blog post. The staff at Pinky’s is so chill they never would have yelled at us for making a mess of the table anyway:)

If you are in/near/ever visit Charlotte, you must eat at this place! (I recommend the Nature Boy. Mmm…) Walls are covered with random tchotskys, there’s a photo booth, pinball machine, colorful tatted up staff who give speedy friendly service, and a million yummy burger combos (and non-burger) fresh-made options as well. A perfect overall funky vibe of relaxed cool.

I’m soooooo full. (And happy.)

This is my Blue Lollipop Road. Wanna show me yours?

#BLR365 #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad #FridayLunches

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365 days of blue lollipop road; day 30

1.30.14

Weirdo alert!

Sometimes I eat bowls of corn for a snack. My boyfriend likes to tease me about this, so he will really get a kick out of today’s BLR:

(Hold the phones; did I just admit that I have a boyfriend?! I think a pig just flew by, and my throat is closing up a little…)

KIDDING! He is totally awesome. (And now he’ll be teasing me about the above line and the corn. I love it.)

Anyway, back to business:

Afternoon sit on the floor to read and work because the sun is streaming in and it feels warm like clothes fresh out of the dryer time today, included a snack of corn. I didn’t eat the kernels that quickly became pasted onto the back cover of the magazine, but the rest of the bowl sure was delicious!

Now I’m wondering what unusual food habits/cravings you all out there might have…

This is my Blue Lollipop Road. Wanna show me yours?

#BLR365 #ShowMeYours #SnackTime

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when two people who don’t know each other…

…send you the same link on the same day in an email reading: “Did you see this?!” – it probably means you should share it with others too. (And that those around you might know you better than you think they do, or better than you know yourself.)

Read this from America’s Finest News Source; The Onion.

Roots? I’d say more like temporary stickies, but hey- you never know.

Where do you call home?

#OperationCharlotte #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad #PossibleForeverNomad

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365 days of blue lollipop road; day 29

1.29.14

It’s SnOMG in the south! Charlotte rarely gets the white stuff, so naturally this one little inch that came last night:

…has set The Queen City into a tizzy; School, work, and sport cancelled, milk and bread flying off the store shelves. (All that kind of stuff that Vermonters think is really funny when they live in places like North Carolina during the winter.)

I “made” the above BLR on my balcony with a spatula (#AlternativeArtTools) and then of course stood inside to take the photo. I said I was from Vermont, not that I actually like the snow, people! My apartment heat is currently set at 74 degrees. That’s the kind of temperature I’m talking about on January 29th:)

This is what my road looks like today. What’s happening on yours?

#BLR365 #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad #SnowDay #SendMeToTheTropics

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how does this author know so much about me?

A friend sent me this blog post today and as I read it, I kept thinking; YES! YES! YES! That is totally me.

DON’T DATE A GIRL WHO TRAVELS

She’s the one with the messy unkempt hair colored by the sun. Her skin is now far from fair like it once was. Not even sun kissed. It’s burnt with multiple tan lines, wounds and bites here and there. But for every flaw on her skin, she has an interesting story to tell.

Don’t date a girl who travels. She is hard to please. The usual dinner-movie date at the mall will suck the life out of her. Her soul craves for new experiences and adventures. She will be unimpressed with your new car and your expensive watch. She would rather climb a rock or jump out of an airplane than hear you brag about it.

Don’t date a girl who travels because she will bug you to book a flight every time there’s an airline seat sale. She wont party at Republiq. And she will never pay over $100 for Avicii because she knows that one weekend of clubbing is equivalent to one week somewhere far more exciting.

Chances are, she can’t hold a steady job. Or she’s probably daydreaming about quitting. She doesn’t want to keep working her ass off for someone else’s dream. She has her own and is working towards it. She is a freelancer. She makes money from designing, writing, photography or something that requires creativity and imagination. Don’t waste her time complaining about your boring job.

Don’t date a girl who travels. She might have wasted her college degree and switched careers entirely. She is now a dive instructor or a yoga teacher. She’s not sure when the next paycheck is coming. But she doesn’t work like a robot all day, she goes out and takes what life has to offer and challenges you to do the same.

Don’t date a girl who travels for she has chosen a life of uncertainty. She doesn’t have a plan or a permanent address. She goes with the flow and follows her heart. She dances to the beat of her own drum. She doesn’t wear a watch. Her days are ruled by the sun and the moon. When the waves are calling, life stops and she will be oblivious to everything else for a moment. But she has learned that the most important thing in life isn’t surfing.

Don’t date a girl who travels as she tends to speak her mind. She will never try to impress your parents or friends. She knows respect, but isn’t afraid to hold a debate about global issues or social responsibility.

She will never need you. She knows how to pitch a tent and screw her own fins without your help. She cooks well and doesn’t need you to pay for her meals. She is too independent and wont care whether you travel with her or not. She will forget to check in with you when she arrives at her destination. She’s busy living in the present. She talks to strangers. She will meet many interesting, like-minded people from around the world who share her passion and dreams. She will be bored with you.

So never date a girl who travels unless you can keep up with her. And if you unintentionally fall in love with one, don’t you dare keep her. Let her go.

Confession:

I’m amidst one of the worst winter-duldrum/when does this end and get warm again already/why am I not living in the tropics/on the road full time right now- times I’ve ever had. I’m sure you’re probably thinking boo-hoo, Diane- don’t you travel enough? Haven’t you been to enough spots? Aren’t you thankful for what you have done and where you have gone? Well, no, no, and yes. Travel is simply a part of my heart & soul. I can’t explain it. The above blog post makes me want to run- not walk, and do more.

I’ve tried so hard to shake this pesky bug, this lifestyle, this insatiable hunger for all things exploration and travel, but I just can’t. Sigh. I want to (I really do!) I want to be “normal” but I just can’t be. I’ve realized more and more lately, that probably the only thing that will ever keep me happy is living light and free; Free to stay if I want, to go if I want, to embrace the full “Me-ness” that is me, the forever overly curious, fight to feel truly alive everyday, wanderer.

At the moment I’m under a big blanket feeling cold, stuck, pretty uninspired, and not really myself. In an effort to ditch those yuck feelings, I just perused a bunch of my goofy, fun, and slightly ridiculous travel photos:

The above photo should actually say; I just love everything…TRAVEL. 

Ok, now I feel better. I guess when those blah, endless feeling wintery days strike- It’s best to fight back with memories of all the awesome that has been a part of my life already, and all that is still to come.

The reason I started my current BLR 365 project (have you seen it and gotten on board yet?) is exactly for days like this. I really do believe we can feel totally alive and make everyday an adventure, even when we are feeling glum/stuck/yuck. It’s all about taking a minute during your standard day, to look back, dream forward, do something creative, or let your mind wander about all that’s possible in the future.

What makes your soul burst with excitement?

#LifeOfATraveler #Wanderlust #StayUnstuck

PS~ A huge THANK YOU! To my always supportive, fellow lover of all things travel & adventure, fantastic friend, David who sent me Don’t date a girl who travels.

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365 days of blue lollipop road; day 27

1.27.14

I’m not the biggest fan of the cold weather (by that I mean, if I never had to wear anything but flip-flops and sundresses ever again in my life I’d be happy) so, I haven’t necessarily been run, run, running out to find snow and ice to make any of my own etches on windshields this winter during the Polar Vortex. Fortunately a friend in Colorado who is much more brave with snow than me, sent this submission today:

BLR love in the chilly west, while I enjoyed a Monday of 60 degree and sunny temps. in the east.

Thanks David!

This is what my road looks like today. What’s happening on yours?

#BLR365 #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad #IcyWindshields

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365 days of blue lollipop road; day 26

1.26.14

Today is my Mom’s birthday!

Because #1 she’s the best Mom a kid could have, and #2 she gave me life, this BLR is in celebration of her:

To all the amazing Mom’s out there who teach us to live authentically, those who cheer us on to believe that absolutely anything is possible, and those who support us to never give up on any of our dreams…we thank you!

Love you, Mom. Thanks for being the best. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 

This is what my road looks like today. What’s happening on yours?

#BLR365 #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad #MyMomRocks

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365 days of blue lollipop road; day 25

1.25.14

One of today’s BLR’s is by far my favorite of the first 25 days of this project. Check out this submission, by Sydney, Ema, & Nathaniel (left to right) from Louisiana:

How cool is this pic, made from the Comic Book! iPad app?! Love it. Gives me an idea for another BLR creation with people for later. (Yes, that means you’ll have to stay tuned to see what I come up with. I might just recruit you to be a part of it!)

So not only did these super awesome kids pose for this photo, but they sent 2 others too! Sydney & Ema made this one out of bottle caps, clothes pins, and Wikki Sticks:

(I totally just had to Google “Wikki Sticks” to see what they were. I guess I’m not as cool as I thought)…and Nathaniel made this one with his toy trains:

He wanted to make sure I knew that the “R” is made up entirely of boxcars. How cute!

Thank you Sydney, Ema, & Nathaniel for my first kid submissions! Feel free to send in more BLR’s anytime. The more the merrier, so keep staying curious and crafty!

Who else is ready to make a BLR?

Send me your submissions: Diane(@)bluelollipoproad.com

#BLR365 #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad #CraftyKids

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