Impossible to "I'm Possible"

Today’s journal topic stemmed around possibility, and reframing what we deem as “impossible” to mean “I’m possible.” Not only is this a very clever play on words, but also feels so timely with working through everything going on in my life right now. It’s interesting to think why I don’t give myself the same level of “possibility” in my personal life as I do in my work life.

Maybe because work (aka my career) is structured, there is guidance and principal attached to almost everything. We’re encouraged to dream big at work – do more “blue sky” thinking, where anything is possible. This is one of the greatest aspects of working where I do. So, typically when I approach relationships I dive head first into the sea of possibility – I imagine the second date before the first one has even taken place, how cute our children would look, (marriage fits somewhere between the second date and children, I promise…but you get what I’m saying.) Then somewhere down the line the possibilities seem to diminish, - this, I’m not sure quite why or how it happens. But it does. And you’ll rack your brain for “the” significant moment when “I’m possible” turned to impossible.

Moving forward, I’d like to continue thinking big at work, home, in relationships, at the grocery store, on a walk. Practice more possibility thinking, because, really, the possibilities are endless.

How do you approach possibility?

"Juicy Journaling"...adventures with SARK

Today I received a calling from the blogging gods. Just when I was questioning my ability to write meaningfully both at work and at home, I came across some inspiration and decided to sign up for an e-course "Juicy Journaling with SARK." I've followed SARK in some capacity since my senior year of high school, and have turned to her books over the years whenever I was in the need to reconnect with myself or even for inspiration.

The Juicy Journaling is a self-paced, 30 day course that includes a variety of inspirational materials to encourage self-reflective writing. Every day I will receive an email containing "journal juice" and an exercise to help guide some of the creative juices. Some days there will be recording from SARK or even personal journal entries from a variety of female bloggers. SARK's artistic capabilities expand beyond the written word. Her drawings and paintings ooze with beauty and are filled with inspirational quotes.

I dived into the journaling tonight along with my yummy salad in hopes of fueling my belly and my mind. I should preface first that lately I've found writing to be too daunting, as it feels like I'm actually living some horrible break-up movie. So having a focused topic at hand, with some extra guidance, should hopefully help to pull me away from focusing so much on this particular aspect of my life.

The guidance for tonight centered around developing two lists. The first was open-ended, requiring us to list 25 gorgeous moments. Of course the possibilities for this were endless, from breath-taking moments atop Mount Si to hearing my best friends' laughter in unison. The second list was more focused with a topic, requiring us to list gorgeous moments associated with nature and the outdoors. Then from this list we were to use each item in a line of a poem. Here is what I came up with:

The babbling brook, like you, is waiting for my reply, questioning if I can hear it
Crunching leaves beneath your feet, declare for you where you stand
Dewdrops leap to my ankles as I try to run away
Swaying trees keep you at bay, wind at your back and nowhere to go
Foggy mornings between Queen Anne and Alki leave me longing for more
Waves against the boat ask me if they’re on course
Fresh clean air and sunlight through my windows makes me wonder where you are

Writing a few lines of poetry is definitely a start in the right direction. I already feel a bit more inspired and look forward to seeing what Day 2 brings from Juicy Journaling.

Riding it out...

I just returned from the restroom and noticed how horribly tired I look. My bloodshot eyes are an easy giveaway to the fact that I haven't been sleeping very well lately. As I'm still getting used to this living solo business, nights seem to be the most challenging for me. I'm not sure whether it's the feeling of wanting to share how my day went with someone, or wishing I had someone around to safely tuck me in. With time, I'm sure this feeling will balance out and I'll feel more at ease with my nightly routine (which has consisted of Sex and the City and a little bedtime yoga.) For now, I need to learn how to ride it out. Even the mucky parts.

Now onto the lighter side of things! Tonight I'm headed a lovely girls dinner in West Seattle with my two favorite ladies from work. I rarely make it over to Alki, and absolutely love every opportunity I have to enjoy a gathering there with Kathleen and JC. I was granted the responsibility of picking up dessert - which is SO hard for me because my favorite dessert is either straight up CANDY or TRAIL MIX. None of which you can bring to a dinner and expect others to enjoy as a way to end their meal. So I decided to bring my second favorite go-to dessert - Strawberry Shortcake (with Angel food cake) Yum! Super healthy and very appropriate for summer...

It's all coming together...

Getting settled in my new place in Queen Anne has been an ongoing process. Thank goodness the unpacking madness has subsided. Now onto decorating. Last week my mom came to visit from MN and helped me make some of my design vision for my place into an actual reality. We scoured every store imaginable for the perfect pieces to bring everything together, from antique shops, to the Goodwill, to Target. Where we eventually landed can only be summed up by pictures, as there is definitely not one cohesive style throughout my place - which is exactly how I wanted things to look. I love color (not super bright obnoxious in your face color.) I love flowers and floral patterns (there is a fine line here as many floral patterns can also hedge on being a bit "country" for my liking.) I love the feeling of using the various antique furniture that I've collected over the years, finding new ways to use the pieces and showcase various elements. I've started to embrace open space and the idea of less clutter - which has also been a plus for feeling more organized.

The last room to come together was the bathroom. I've gone through three bath mat options (who would've ever thought this would be so hard,) and opted for a bright colorful combination from Target. I originally snubbed the "uber girly" bath mat during my mom's visit, but after an inspiring conversation with Katie and Kelly (my TN lasses for the weekend), I'm so glad I went with this look.

Let me know what you think about everything, or better yet, plan a visit out to Seattle to take a peek for yourself!

xoLK

Behind my bed: a collage of prints, letters, and a mirror. My antique desk overlooking Highland Drive, and a collage on the wall. One of my favorite purchases: an old globe. Nestled below antique scenes of Paris.My kitchen with the antique shelf. Love the while cupboards and pink tile!

My own Everest...

Today I ventured out on a solo mission to hike Mount Si. Last weekend I got my hiking shoes (old Asics) dirty with the first hike of the season, when my mom and I hiked Little Mount Si. I've never hiked the "bigger" Si by myself. Hiking just seems like one of those activities that you do with someone else. You sweat together, you stop for water breaks together, you comment on the amazing view together. It's a together thing. However, today, I discovered how much fun hiking solo can really be. Here's what I loved: going my own pace (a combination of walking, running and wobbling), stopping when I want for a drink/snack, passing groups of men hiking with all of their equipment, etc. Below are a couple of pictures I took from the mountain. It was a bit foggy/cloudy, which made for a perfect hiking temperature. Now (as I type this) I'm feeling the soreness set in from the pounding of 8 miles on my joints...

Half way up the mountain...the rolling clouds were beautiful.

From the top. On a clear day you can see Mount Rainier.

Closing Thoughts...

The weekend is coming to a close and I have so much I could write, but I think this will do:

“The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours - it is an amazing journey - and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins.”
~Bob Moawad

A Girly Movie and Shopping, my perfect evening

Last night I attended an advance screening of "My Life In Ruins" - me, and my two non-Greek coworkers hightailed it into downtown Seattle to wait in line with over 100 Greek Seattlelites. I felt like I was an unwelcomed guest in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" as we were slowly herded into the theater. The promoters were pulling out all the stops for this production, (I opted not to grab a free "greek yogurt" upon entering.) Overall, the movie was sweet, with a bit of cheesy humor. The scenes of Greece's historic architecture were phenomenal and a reminder that I should add this destination to the list of places I want to visit.

After the movie I accidentally wondered into JCrew just as they were closing and fell in love with their current summer line. JCrew always has such a great mixture of prints and fabrics, with elements of girly flare weaved into their clothing. If budget were not an issue I could've instantly purchased almost everything in the store. Here are a couple items that stood out for me:

First, the necklace looks like sugar crystals and is far more exquisite in person. Second, I've always been a huge fan of layering (done well, done right.) Sometimes I can look bulky if I layer too much. However, the lightweight material of the floral shirt coupled with the lime green sweater and shrunken summer blazer, makes this layering combination look very chic. Lastly, I'm a huge fan of t-shirts, and frankly have somewhat of an addiction to buying them because they're great for work, play and everything in between. I love the idea of pairing this basic t-shirt with this type of printed skirt. You can play with the accessories (my favorite part) to dress this up for the office.

What kind of summer clothing are you looking forward to wearing? Anything I should be thinking of?

who are you and who will you be?

So after a brief hiatus from the blogging world, I’m back and ready to fully commit again. A couple quick things to cover off on before diving in:

1. I moved. Just me and my things (antique furniture and small tv) have moved and are settling into my new place in Queen Anne.
2. After months and months of hard work, my Search team at WaggEd launched, Bing...Microsoft’s new consumer search engine.
3. Summer in Seattle has finally arrived, and I love living in the city.

Now onto specifics, I’m currently settling into the most darling 1940’s apartment near Highland Park (or Kerry Park as some would call it.) Pictures will shortly follow. I’ve been in love with all things “old, antique, vintage” for quite some time (I’m really an 80 yr old woman living in a 26 yr old body). The chandelier in the living room and pink and white tiling in the kitchen are by far the most charming features of my place. Once I’ve fully unpacked – because this seems to take forever – I’ll provide a full tour of my new digs. Or if you’re lucky to live in Seattle, swing on by!

Bing Bing Bing – has finally launched. Microsoft’s new consumer search engine is actually THAT cool, and I’m not just saying it because there was blood/sweat/tears involved in getting this product out the door. Please check it out and let me know what you think: www.bing.com.

Summer (big sigh) is here, and it’s worth every swear word uttered at the days of constant rain and wind out here. There is nothing that compares to running in Queen Anne overlooking Mount Rainier, the Space Needle, the city skyline and the marinas below. And the best part is – everyone around QA has a dog. I swear one day I will actually scoop up someone’s pup when they’re not looking at make a run for it…