I’ve been planning to start a project today for a long while now, but didn’t know what kind of photo I’d kick it off with. New Years Eve last night didn’t exactly get us into bed early, so I was a bit surprised when I woke up like a bullet before the sun rose this morning. It was 21 degrees. Barefoot on the quiet balcony straight from a warm bed to snap this shot felt, um…a little chilly:
…but totally worth it. Could there be a more perfect way to start the new year, than with the day coming alive like this?
I don’t think we celebrate enough. I think we wait too long. I don’t think we stop to look up enough. I think we could use to have a little more fun. I don’t think we should be so scared of everything. The only thing that’s scary is no more time.
Join me in respecting the clock this year, won’t ya?
I’m throwing a party. Consider this your formal invitation to come rip up the dance floor with me. Hell, maybe we’ll even rip it up naked style, and post it on YouTube! I’m kidding. (Maybe.) It’s time to celebrate because we have the choice to. Watch here for a 2018 daily dose of life outside the drone zone, and get ready to share yours.
…by successful, I mean delicious dips in the warm maple syrup that my friends Jon & Dana Finny make. My mangled because I still can’t get the hang of flipping pancakes properly, still taste amazing, doused in this stuff:
Ahhh…warm fall balcony breakfast mornings.
Thanks Jon & Dana!
You want some? Get some! (Did somebody say holiday gifts?) Drop Jon & Dane a line: [email protected]
Mmm…
My name is Diane and I too often break promises to myself.
Insert the way people introduce themselves at the start of and Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. (I think, anyway- based on movies and TV shows.)
I’m not announcing my problem with boozing here, just standing up in front of you all to admit my problem out loud, and start to hold myself accountable for a most unhealthy habit.
If you ask me what I love love love to do first thing in the morning that makes me feel high as a kite, joyful, hopeful, healthy, balanced, thankful, badass, and overall as happy as a 7 year old swimming in a mountain of gummy worms- it never changes; writing and/or exercising. I know this, many people around me know this, I talk about this, yet I epically fail at doing either of these things during much of my Monday – Friday lately. Especially the writing part, which is super sucky-poo because I’ve got great stories, a lot to say, and anytime I finish, I feel like I’ve exorcised all the worlds demons or just returned from some kind of life altering detox cleanse.
So here I am, Friday February 19th, 2016 proclaiming my addiction (the healthy kind; moving my body and sharing my words) in a huge attempt to hold myself accountable just like I hold my clients accountable for what they need to do…to just do more of what drives my days straight down that Blue Lollipop Road I know is out there.
What’s got me all off track and breaking promises to myself? Lot’s of little things that I could use as excuses of course, but really It’s simple; not taking the time I know I need and want, to be the best version of Diggidydi. (That’s me, high school nickname. Shout out to the MAU boys for coming up with that one back in 1995:)
As I talked to a single Mommy friend this morning who is just burned, like extra crispy bacon exhausted burned, I advised on my high horse; Take more time for you! You deserve better and more! Draw the line! You are going to run yourself into the ground if you don’t recharge! – I have to laugh. Aren’t we all so good at giving advice to ourselves by giving it to someone else?
If you’re reading this now and you don’t see a post again from me within the next 3 to 5 days, I hope you will write to me and call me out. If you’re reading this right now and running around multitasking like a freak show (I can relate), just stop it. If you’re reading this right now and don’t even have the faintest idea what fuels you to start your day with that I’m going to kick ass and take names, today! feeling, take some time to start figuring that out. (It is Friday after all, everyone takes an extra long lunch on Fridays. Your boss won’t notice. He’s probably golfing anyway.)
Let’s all get less addicted to email and other work day time wasters, and more addicted to becoming an expert at exactly what were passionate about, so we can share that awesomeness with the people around us.
What’s your healthy addiction that’s been collecting dust lately?
(I’m not sure I thought I’d ever type either of those things.)
It was an accidental first class booking, or at least, lets assume so- and it was the best accident ever. The night before my flight when I saw “first” in the email confirmation, I jumped for joy, spun around, called to confirm that could possibly be correct, squealed, clapped, texted a few people with lots of smiley-face emoticons, screeched, and then of course, could not stop singing & dancing to this:
We flying the first class
Up in the sky
Poppin’ champagne
Livin’ the life…
All 50 states and 17 countries, 20+ years of travel and I have never once flown first class until now. What?! Seems crazy but true. Never a bump up, freebie, not one single “Attention ladies and gentleman in the concourse…we have overbooked! If anyone would kindly volunteer to give up their seat, we will put you on the next flight in first class, love you forever, give you a unicorn, and award you a 6 billion dollar voucher for your next flight.”
Never.
I always say I have really expensive taste, but I don’t practice it/use it often. I’d rather spend $500 going out to 10 lunches or dinners with friends, or on 10 gas fill-ups for my car to go see my family, than on a first class upgrade- but man, after my experience last week, I can sort of see what all the fuss is about. (And from what I understand, my first class experience was pretty low-key compared to overseas flights/flights on newer planes.)
Giddy me boarded so early it was still dark out, but that didn’t stop me from ordering a mimosa pre-flight, just because I could:
…and then another as soon as we took off:
…you know- just because I could…again.
It was so fun. Mimosa at 6:48am felt a bit strange, but the triathlete guy sitting next to me had 2 Baileys with coffee, so I convinced myself I was still a responsible adult on a Thursday morning watching the sunrise:
The window could’ve used a little cleaning, but I was in heaven, streaks and all. Then a bit later, this gorgeous blue view:
For a small town, coach-flying, minimalist girl- this was a treat like no other. What kind of 37 year old get’s that excited about a first class flight? Me. Loved every minute of it. For all the fancy freshest-ever food & wine I’ve ever consumed, and all the highfalutin events I’ve ended up at somehow during my adventures, I’ve likely rolled up in a $20 dress and driving my 2004 Honda Civic with 220k miles on it. I hope I never turn a shoulder to my frugal habits or my nerd-alert excitement for occasional posh things either. It’s a good things to experience both sides, feel spoiled- and still always remember what’s truly important. For now I still feel high from that flight and I can’t wait to squeal and screech like a kid when the next bonus thing like CLT>LBB drops in my lap.
So fun.
When did you last get all buzzy and fuzzy because of a treat?
All hail to the coffee gods! One of my favorite things. When I was reminded of the DD freebie by my brother, I had to curb my other coffee shop habit for today and come here for morning office time:
I haven’t had the Dunkin’ Donut in a very long time, but being from the north where I grew up on an occasional strawberry frosted when visiting my Grandpa at the bank he worked at, I had to get one. Makes me smile. Not the healthiest “breakfast” ever, but a good happy memory:
Now if we could just get this company to stop with the styrofoam cups already- they’d be doing something!
If you don’t like coffee, you could just pretend you do for one day- as an excuse to call a friend or family member you haven’t seen in a long time to meet up. Go chat over a cup and tell them how much they mean to you.
It is nearly midnight, so this is almost a Hello Tuesday! post. The day has been busy with lots of good things so I’m just a bit behind.
When the alarm rang this morning, I thought – UGH! It’s dark, I’m tired, I’ve barely slept! I can’t believe the week already starts again. Then…motivation nation quickly came rushing in; Its Monday, Baby! Get up! Carpe Diem!
So I jumped up and came to this because there’s nothing like getting up early to start your day off right:
It was definitely overcast, and not the most optimal looking sky, but the freshly mowed grasses on the course and the company I was with, made up for the grey. I also got a good laugh from this sign:
Go 19 and you’re done for. Hilarious. Who makes up this stuff, anyway?
There’s something about morning exercise, and something about Monday mornings up and atem that simply sets the tone for a good week to come.
If you’re feeling like you’re dragging, get UP and move your body! It might feel painful for the first few minutes, but when you’re done, you’ll feel like a million bucks.
(…because every day is a chance and a choice to drive your life.)
I sat on the very chilly balcony this morning to watch the sunrise. Under a blanket I was in the quiet while clutching my steaming cup of coffee to my chest for warmth thinking of my friend Sam. News yesterday that Sam passed away after his 9-month battle-royale with the ever-hated cancer. (F*CK CANCER!!!) I imagined my sweet and always-smiling friend floating to a much happier, healthier place into the blue above:
Yesterday at just about the very second Sam passed, I was starting a hot yoga class at a place for the first time. It happened to be the instructors birthday. As this instructor announced how thankful he was on his day of birth for all the people around him, and how life should be a celebration, all I could think of was Sam and think of the irony of a death day and a birth day.
Not that I have ever been, or would be ashamed of crying, but I did keep thinking that I was thankful for all the sweat dripping off me so everyone around me wouldn’t be able to see my streaming tears.
People like Sam, should never be ripped from our earth this early. Clearly some one or some thing, somewhere, needed him to bring his smiles to do a bigger job than he was already doing living with us here.
I will share more about Sam soon. For today, Monday September 14, 2015, I just wanted to share a quick note about how much much he will always mean to so many of us. A true Mojo Warrior. I encourage you reading this to be inspired by him, even if you didn’t know him. If there’s one thing I know for sure, it is that he would want every single one of us to fully celebrate the time that we have.
TODAY is the day to tell someone you love them. TODAY is the day to take a leap of faith. TODAY is the day to start that thing you’ve wanted to. TODAY is the day to start really living if you are not already. TODAY is the day to be fearless.
Live while you are living. Sam sure did. What a guy.
I’m on a bit of a Monday kick lately. A seize the day-let’s crush it-go get it-make it happen, kind of kick. Why not? Life is short- inspire yourself! I’m digging it. After a crazy busy work weekend, this Monday kicks off on an airplane to a week of fun and writing focus:
Besides family & friends, some of my favorite things include travel, chocolate, and wine, so I’m headed to get some of the best and I can’t wait. T-11 hours until I’ll be standing in fabulous company with a glass of liquid grape in my hand. Whoop!
This morning while a passenger behind me in line during check-in grumpily yelled at the ticketing agent, I chatted happily & laughed with the nice guy behind me. While groups of business people rushed to their gates, I stood in the sun-drenched windows, staring at the planes, daydreaming like an excited kid heading off to Disneyland:
I love airports; the people that are a little off their rockers, the chaos of air travel commuters, those with the thrill of the trip of a lifetime happening, the anticipation of going to see someone you love, the start of a new life adventure…all that energy and madness! (And people watching is the best, of course. Humans are never-fail entertainment and always interesting to study.)
