Happy Friday, friends!
Long live the three-day week. It's all I could really handle, what with all of the New Year's excitement. I still haven't caught up on sleep yet, either. Between Frasier waking me up at 4:30am to cuddle and bite my chin and the bad dreams I had last night-- I'm exhausted.
I have a difficult time sleeping if I have any kind of dream. Last night I had several very paranoid, yet small scale dream-issues:
Dream 1: I was cast in a play while I was on vacation. I came back on opening night unmemorized and thought that it would be okay for me to read my lines off of my laptop on stage.
Dream 2: I wore the wrong underwear to work. My VPL was bothering everyone and I was very embarrassed. Yes, this is a real bad dream I had.
Dream 3: I slept through my alarm to go to a very important meeting because I set it to wake me up with "I Think I Love You" from the Partridge Family.
Analyze those, dream interpreters!
As promised, here are my intentions for 2013, Fickle Friend Friday-style.
Let me clarify what I mean by intentions.
My favorite lady power website, The Everygirl, recently ran a New Year's special about loosening the specifics and embracing the journey of our life goals. I love this concept. I don't do well with restrictions or numbers. But I can do balance and strategic effort! So with that idea in mind, here are some of my Fickle Friend Intentions for this magical 2013 year.
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| Belinda and my friendship orchids. |
Actively love those I... love.
Though it sounds redundant it is exactly what I mean.
I intend to let those I love and respect understand their importance in my life-- through my words, actions, touch, and quality time.
Belinda, one of my best and dearest friends, bought me these purple orchids yesterday on our walk to the farmer's market during our lunch break. My desk orchids died two weeks ago (my, that sounds morbid) and she just wanted to be nice. I want to give back these kinds of moments to those I love. And Belinda, obviously-- she's got some major friendship credit right now.
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| Kate Spade and my favorite glitter nail polish, "Rainbow Connection". |
Be more myself.
I make bizarre facial expressions. I like patterns and color. I like to share personal stories that I probably shouldn't. I'm terrible at lying and I really do not want to 'just get' a medium popcorn at the movie theater.
In this coming year I intend to be more of myself, more often. Responding honestly, acting on my instincts, and not shushing my inner goddess. (No that was not a Fifty Shades of Grey reference...or was it?). I am really enjoying being Jenny these days and I'm looking forward to more of it.
Smile more than I don't smile.
Simple as that. As magical as this year will be-- I know it will get sticky at times. But as long as I am smiling more than I'm not-- that's a win in my book. Win for me. Win for smiling bunnies everywhere. Just thinking about smiling more makes me smile.
Do more random acts of kindness.
This picture has such a great story. My mother took it just this past weekend.
It's no secret that my mother loves parades. I have been to so many throughout my life-- Bishop's Mule Day Parade, Tucson's Rodeo Parade, the Rose Bowl Parade, Tempe Parade of Lights... the list continues. My mom would load my sister and I up in the van at 5am, bundled with blankets, hot chocolate, and popped popcorn in plastic bags. We were always one of the first to set up our folded chairs along the street curbs. It was freezing cold most of time. There was almost always horse poop. The bands... oh the bands never stopped.
I don't know what it is-- but my mama-- she just loves those parades. Now that she's a mere twenty minutes from Pasadena there's no way she would miss the Rose Bowl Parade-- even when no one is available to go with her. This past New Year's Day she drove herself to the train station at 5am, took the train to Pasadena, and scouted the perfect location to watch the floats go by.
On the train ride home my mom sat next to Evita and Lyle, the man and woman in the picture above. They were on their way to meet Lyle's ninety-seven year-old cousin, Marjorie, in a Studio City deli. My mother offered to drive them there. Once in Studio City they realized that Marjorie was waiting at a deli by the same name in Woodland Hills, a forty minute drive away. So my mom drove them there.
They called her their New Year's Angel. (Sound familiar?) Then they treated her to lunch and hugs and headed on their way.
Isn't that just the nicest thing you've ever heard? The world needs more people like my mother in it. I intend to be that person to others who need it. (But you know-- safety first, and such).
Make Frasier an internet sensation.
Well I mean, I have to have one fun intention, right? My friend Gretchen surprised me this one yesterday-- talk about a random act of kindness. Frasier is a good-looking cat with questionable attitude. He's just asking for meme stardom.
Write more.
Yes. I intend to write more in my journals and more on my blog. My friend Kathleen bought me this journal for Christmas this year. On each page you write a quick blurb for five consecutive years. You can write whatever you'd like-- about your day or you can take inspiration from the accompanying Jane Austen quote at the top of the page. It's just the motivation I need to break out the ol' Moleskine and start some serious writing again. Recently all of my attention has gone to public writing-- I'm missing the personal stuff. It's much more interesting to look back on, trust me.
Expand my cooking and baking horizons.
I came home from work the other night to whip up these Baked Chicken Caesar Chalupas that I found on another one of my favorite blogs-- Iowa Girl Eats. I was pumped. Ashley was pumped. Aaron was pumped. And the tortillas were moldy. Gosh darn you, Los Angeles humidity!
Moldy tortillas aside, I intend to try some of those recipes I've been pinning on my Pinterest for the last year and a half.
Try.
Stay at the gym a little longer. Read the entire NY Times article instead of skimming it. Go after that job I want.
That goes for my relationships and experiences as well. I intend to never settle for good enough.
Make my home more homey.
It's no secret-- Ashley and my apartment is welcoming and adorable. Over the last couple of months I have done my fair-share of craigslist searching, online shopping, and rooting through hand-me-down furniture in an effort to create an affordable and chic looking space. I have a handful of things I need to add-- curtains here, wall art there, perhaps some kitchen organization of sorts. I intend to continue in this homemaking effort over the next year.
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Come at me, 2013.
My intentions are set and the first weekend of the year is here!
First stop: dinner. I haven't seen my dear mum all week on account of all my busyness and friend-hanging. So tonight I'm taking her to Susan Feniger's restaurant, Street, featuring different types of tapas style foods-- such as the the Kaya toast pictured above. Yum! I went once before with my gluten, meat, and dairy-free friend so I am trés excited to get all up in the bread and meat and cheesy things.
Hope you're thinking of accomplishing happy things this year, too.
Love and kisses,
Jenny
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