Day 27: Happy

I have a bit over an hour left in the day for today's post and I hope I can publish it before the end of the day. Today has been a long day. Today has been a "Big Day." I have officially started planning the most important day of my life. I have picked out my wedding dress and... that's it, really... I guess, it should feel like a bigger day than it actually does.

So, I put the dress on, stared at myself for a while in the mirror, then, thought about what that day would be like. We haven't picked a date yet, so, it's not final, but I'm going to need a dress anyway, so, I thought I'd get that done. It was weird, in a nice way, to be in a wedding dress, with a veil on, and everything. Everything, suddenly, became surreal.

I was just sitting here figuring out what I should write about, as I logged onto facebook and this video had been posted by one of my friends. It was a song by Leona Lewis called Happy. I sat there and watched it and thought about happiness and what it really feels like. I remembered standing there with the dress on, looking at myself in the mirror, trying to figure out what I wanted to look like on that day, and what would make me really happy... the dress, or... being a wife... or... everything else that mattered?

Being happy is a weird thing. I remember feeling content with myself and being excited, but "happy" is a strange thing. I wonder what it really is sometimes. I think that all the things in life, combined, can be happiness. I don't know if I can say "I'm happy" at any certain moment in my life, but when I think back, I think, I have been happy all my life.

The other day I read: "Try and focus on the positives in life and look at what's going to give you long term happiness. Sometimes, we don't see those things because they are right in front of us, just take a step back and look at your present from the sidelines." Thank you for your wisdom, to the person that wrote this, you know who you are :)

Tip of the Day: Take a step back from your life and see if you're happy? Figure out what it is that makes you happy and try to remember the things that have made you happy in your past. If you have to make a list to make it realistic, go ahead and make a list, even if they're the silliest things you have to write down. If you can figure out what makes you smile, then, all you have to do is let/make that part of history repeat itself, in it's own way.

I had been obsessed with Winnie the Pooh for most of my life, up until the last couple of years when I realized the stuffed animals were a bit too much in my room, but I had never realized some of the wisdom that went into the cuddly ole' bear:

"Well," said Pooh "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called." A.A. Milne

Armen has been trying to get my attention for the past hour, but I've been telling him to leave me alone so I can think and post. He just walked in the room and said, "You know what you do when you're hungry, and your wife has to post and she doesn't get you a sandwich? You eat carrots!" while holding a bag of carrots in his hand. That just made me happy. :)

Day 26: Smile :) You're on camera!

It's Saturday today, and I decided to come to the gallery to get some work done. We're getting ready for an opening on Friday, April 2nd. I will post up some more info. in the next few weeks. Two artists, Larisa Safaryan and Ani Gevorgian, will be showing their work here at the gallery. Both girls are extremely talented and can't wait to share their work with the public. I am excited for them! So, to get to my point... I am at the studio trying to get some postcards ready to advertise the event.

Oh, and I'm also here because, yesterday, my computer was threatened, so I thought I'd sit here and protect it from being stolen... Some retards walked by and yelled, "Imma take your computer B***H!" Ya, it really brought my mood down, but I looked up at them as they walked by and tried to take a picture of them in my head. I sat there for a while and thought about what I could do to prevent something like that from happening, even though I have an alarm system. So...I wrote on a piece of paper: Smile, :) you're on camera! and put it up on the door. I thought is was pretty clever, but, I don't know...let's just hope it doesn't happen, and I know they probably don't read my blog, so it's safe to say that I don't have cameras here. I will get some soon because it seems like an area without sidewalks comes with its common side effects.

To be honest, sometimes, I wish I carried a handgun around (especially in my car) just to scare some people shitless when they really deserve it!

But, it could be worse...earthquake in Chile...my heart goes out to them. Hopefully, the earthquakes will stop for a while because they seem like they're on a roll right now. Just a tip: don't watch the news too much, it'll, definitely, get you down on this rainy day.

On a happier note, I'm excited for the opening! The event will be posted on Facebook, etc. so you guys will be notified and I hope to see you there!

Tip of the Day: Try not to pay too much attention to the negative stuff going on around you. Concentrate on what's positive and try to be productive with your day, despite the rain and bad news all around.

“If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.” Peace Pilgrim Quotes

Day 25: It's still dark!

Today, I woke up at 5:30 a.m. to my alarm. I got out of bed, turned the sound off, and went back to bed...then...a text "You up?." I had promised a friend of mine I'd meet her at 6 a.m. to go hiking. Wow...did I regret doing that at that moment. So I replied, "ya" and stayed in bed for another 15 minutes. I lay there and looked out the window a couple of times to make sure I was seeing right: It was still dark outside. What the hell was I thinking? Why would someone go hiking in the dark? But...I had to get up! So, I toughed it out, finally got out of bed, brushed my teeth, and left the house. Once, I got there...it was okay, I guess. By the time we were coming back down the hill, the sun was up, and that's when it felt nice to be up that early. That was the point when I was glad I had gotten out of bed so early.

Now, it's 12:30 p.m. and I've already had a really long day. I have about 12 more hours ahead of me before I crash, so...what do I do now?

Tip of the Day: Try to wake up a bit earlier everyday and get your day started. It's that one moment, when you're warm in bed, that's the hardest part, but when you're up and awake, it's really nice. You actually get to have a morning instead of the one hour before noon. For those who are already up at 7 or 8 a.m., you're crazy! Try sleeping in for a day, your body might need some rest!

Day 24: "I do"

I have three hours before the next day's post. I've had time to post today, but I haven't felt like writing til now, so I apologize if you've checked for a new post more than once today.
In the last three weeks, I've had three different people ask me to do their event (wedding/engagement) invitations for them. Two are my cousins and the other a mutual friend, but I'm beginning to wonder if I should turn Modest Fly Art Gallery into Modest Fly Art Invitations. I enjoy doing anything creative, so I'm excited.
Everyone's getting engaged or married these days. My friends, cousins, and acquaintances are either "tying the knot" this year, or they already have.
I was looking at an old high school friend's facebook page, ( who is a daily reader :) "Hello, you know who you are...") and I read: "I am" is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. Could it be that "I do" is the longest sentence?"
As I read this, I thought, wow...clever, and laughed a bit. Then, I started to think about how marriage is usually looked at. It's looked at as a dead end, when it should be looked at as a new beginning; Everyone's got to do it; everyone's expected to do it, but if it's like putting an end one's life, then, why get married at all? I guess it is like a life long sentence, except you get to choose your cell mate. I'd, definitely, rather have a cell mate, than be alone.
Realizing that everyone around me is starting a new beginning, I come to learn how important it is to stay in touch with people in my family. One side of my family used to be close, before my grandfather passed away, almost 20 years ago. I remember spending time with my cousins all the time, back then, but, now, I see them on special occasions and holidays, if at all. The other side of the family is very small, consisting of less than 20 people. We all try to stay in touch, but life happens, all the time.
With one cousin, in particular, getting married this Summer, I realize the importance of family relationships. It's weird how no one can take the place of someone you grew up with. The friends you grow up with become family after a while. You're never as pure and naive in life as you are as a child, so the people that you grew up with are the people who really know your basic foundation.
So, as I get older I figure out where my attention needs to be and what is more important to me.
I think that "I am" might be the shortest sentence in the English language and "I do" (in marriage) is forever, but, having your family around, can make "forever" worth the wait.

Tip of the Day: Think of one person in your family (sister, brother, parents, relatives, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.) that deserves your attention and hasn't gotten it in a while. Give that person your time and your attention, just to let them know that you care.

"The great gifts of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might have never even introduced yourself to, had life not done it for you." - Kendall Hailey

Day 23: No Sidewalks...

I walked to the gallery today. I thought I'd have a "save the earth" day. Actually, I didn't have a car, so I had to walk, but it was a nice walk, I think. The only thing that sucked was wearing heeled boots while trying to walk downhill on streets that don't have sidewalks. Yes, if any of you guys have been to Tujunga... no sidewalks! Instead of sidewalks, they have humps on the sides of the street to let you know where the sidewalk should begin. Even, Mexico has sidewalks!

Walking made me realize that no one really walks anywhere around here. It might even be a crime to walk at all. People slow down and almost pull over to take a look at you just to make sure you're human. I think I'll be doing more walking to and from the gallery, but not with these boots.

Tip of the Day: Take a walk somewhere close that you normally drive to. I'm not going to tell you to try to hear the birds chirping, because all you're probably going to hear are cars, loud music, dogs barking, and some whistles and kisses. (if you're a girl) Just take a walk and take that time to think. It feels kind of nice when you get over the "people staring at you" part.

"And they discovered something very interesting: when it comes to walking, most of the ant's thinking and decision-making is not in its brain at all. It's distributed. It's in its legs." Kevin Kelly

Two Artists, One Style

Modest Fly Art Gallery is having an upcoming show "Two Artists, One Style" on April 2nd, 2010. There will be further details posted as the date nears. You can check out the artists being shown by visiting the Modest Fly Art website at: modestflyartgallery.com

Day 22: 2010 Olympics

I read somewhere that, "Life isn't about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself." This caught my attention because I've heard so many people say, "I'm just trying to find myself," and I used to think, "ok, well, maybe I should try to find myself too?" After 25 years of trying to find myself, I realized that most of us always look for ourselves and try to figure out who we are throughout our lives. No matter, if we have the "perfect" life or a life full of troubles.

Personally, many people, who know me, would think that I have a perfect life. Everything seems great, right? Well, then, why is it that, sometimes, I get lost. I've figured out that we get lost, at times, because we don't know what we want or we lose track of our dreams and our purpose.

Lately, at home, the t.v. has been on, either, to basketball games, (one after another) or the Olympic games. Especially, on Sundays, the screeching of basketball shoes make me crazy, but, sometimes, I sit around for the Olympics. I begin to watch, until someone falls or screws up, then, I get up and leave. I've been enjoying watching the Olympics this year, but I worry too much while watching. (as if they're my own kids out there) The fact that these people go out there in front of the world, (each one known to being the best at what they do) and, yet, some fail while the world is watching. Watching them makes me feel like I do very little on this planet. I think, now, that the Olympians are awesome! I dedicate this post to them today to let them know that they're admired for all their hard work and that it's okay to fail because it doesn't matter, they're already at the top.

If you would like a sneak peak at some of the games this year and some inspiration, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJMaDxjjc6s

I was watching the games one day, when they were showing reruns of the Olympians falling and screwing up, as usual. One of the Olympians was being interviewed after a fall and she was asked, "What happened?" (I thought, seriously???) Then, the Olympian replied, "Well... I fell..." with a distraught but blank look on her face.

So, the corniness is approaching again as I say, "we all fall at some point...but at least the whole world isn't watching, so go on and take risks because Geena Davis once said that, 'If you risk nothing, then you risk everything.' "

Tip of the Day: Have goals and dreams! Make a list of goals and plans for 2010 and try to work towards it. Writing it down and telling people about them makes it more official and will push you to be better and achieve what you want for yourself in your life. So... "If you knew you couldn't fail, what would you do?" - Unknown

Day 21: Google it!

It's 12:02 A.M. finally, the next day, which means I can write today's post. I know, I can't wait sometimes. Sometimes...I can't sleep, so I write.

I just got home. I was listening to the radio in the car and they were playing this song on 92.3 that I loved. I had no idea who sang it, so I listened to a common phrase for the title so that I can search it on youtube. Well, I didn't have to search, it was right there, the first video I picked. It's amazing to me that we can just go to a site, type in anything, and there it is... it's purely amazing, and sometimes, we take it for granted.

If you guys want to hear the song I searched for, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwT7rKTqQbk

A bit more than 10 years ago, there was Napster and we all loved to download free music. Even though, it took hours with dial up internet, we all did it. Now, it takes a second, and we can find anything that ever existed. Technology is ridiculous these days, but we can't go on without most of it. I can't imagine not having internet connection or not being able to check my email, or not have email, and, of course, how can we go on not knowing what the whole world is doing on Facebook, right?

I remember the World Book Encyclopedia people that used to come around knocking on doors and asking us, kids, questions about the ocean and sky to prove that we were stupid enough for our parents to buy these books. I remember them asking me, "Do you know what color the ocean is?" I was 6 years old then, as I looked at them in confusion, and said," blue." I remember them laughing at me at that point and saying, "No, honey, the ocean is colorless, you see it as blue because it's reflecting the sky." After that day, I never forgot what color the ocean was. We, actually, have a World Book set, 27 Volumes of "world" information in print and heavy as hell. These days, it's Google or Wikipedia. Oh, and what the heck do we do with our dictionaries now? Google is used as a spelling guru and we can find a picture of ladybug shit from Google images, if we looked hard enough. Personally, I like actual books as oppose to the internet. Books are priceless and their existence is crucial, I think. All I know is that, my kids are not going to be carrying around Ipads, even if they're made fun of at school, or... atleast I hope they're not going to be carrying around Ipads. (I'll get back to you on my discipline as a mother when I have kids.)

It's kind of ironic that, recently, my phone has started acting up and it's almost not functional. It's off most of the day, but it's kind of nice, sometimes, to have privacy and be to yourself, where no one can reach you.

Tip of the Day: I know this tip is going to be one that a very small percentage of you will actually try out, but I'm still going to give it a chance. Either leave you phone at home for a day, or turn it off for a couple of hours. Try it out and see how it makes you feel having no connection to the world that you're so used to. It's possible! Believe it or not, not everybody had cell phones a few years back and they went on with their day just fine. It's kind of sad that we rely on technology so much nowadays, and it's probably just going to get worse, but, overall, who am I kidding, because I can't wait to get an iphone and technology is the reason why you're here reading my thoughts.

"Technology... is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other." ~C.P. Snow, New York Times, 15 March 1971

Day 20: I hated Sundays!

I hated Sundays!

Hello there! Hope everyone's having a great Sunday! Normally, I hate Sundays, but today was different. I haven't been home today, I've been around, but I just got to my personal space that I can't wait to come to everyday, which is my gallery/studio. This place makes me feel whole. Don't know what I did before this place. Everything I have, that I care about, is here, and, I come sit here, in the middle of it, and do anything I want. Sounds really awesome, huh? Well, it is, and I have my family to thank for it! (Darn it, I should've thanked them in yesterday's post and gotten it over with) Anyway, being here makes me happy, whether it's Sunday or not. Everybody has a day of the week they hate, and I have figured out a way to start liking Sundays. It's like our life is planned around the days of the week, which it is. We go by certain days of work and play. That's really weird, how that all happened, I think. So, maybe, the way to get rid of these negative feelings we have towards certain days is to do something we love on that day.

Tip of the Day: Plan something you enjoy on that day and do it, even if you have to go to the movies, restaurant, or shopping every single week. Set a "date day" with your friend or spouse on that day and try to enjoy yourself, because we can't go on saying, "I hate Sundays/ Mondays/ Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Thursdays/Fridays/Saturdays!" Now, I'm going to be corny and say, 'Try to enjoy every day!"

“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special.” Jim Valvano

My sister just called me and she said, "What's going on? Where are you?" I said, "You're so annoying, I told you I'm at the studio! What do you want?" Then, she said, "I'm waiting, I'm in front of the computer, where's your post? What happened?" Then, I said, "I'm doing it right now! What's your problem?" Then... I hung up on her. :) Wow, thanks sis! You deserve a handwritten "thank you" card now!

Day 19: Thank You!!!

Merci!!!

It's late again today, but I am here now. Actually, I wasn't busy today. I was home watching movies, and hanging out with the family. It was really nice to just hang out, even though I was thinking about today's post the whole time. I kept thinking "I have to post...I have to post..." but, then, I thought that it's okay if I post a bit late sometimes, it's not like you guys are waiting in front of the computer...

One of my friends that reads the blog said to me one day, "I haven't read your post today, I have to go home and see what Iren's thinking!" I was so surprised at what she said I started laughing and asked her to repeat herself for my own self indulgence.

I want to thank the people that have taken the time to send me messages and comment on the blog letting me know that they're interested and that I'm interesting. It means a lot to me to know that you guys are enjoying this because, today, not only did I realize that I look forward to this everyday, but I "need" this, now, to stay sane.

I would be doing this if I didn't have any readers, because of the goal I've set for myself, but just to hear you guys talk about how much you enjoy it and that I should keep writing, well, it means the world to me right now. Consider yourselves thanked! If I had a filled up address book on the blog, I would, definitely, send all of you handwritten thank you cards. Here is my "thank you" card for you. Today, I dedicate this post to you guys and I hope I can keep your attention for the next few, long months to come. Thank You Again!!!

Tip of the Day: Think about something that someone does for you, that, normally, goes unnoticed, and thank that person with a handwritten note or a thank you card that they can keep. Just let them know that they're appreciated. There are many things that are done for us, daily, by others, that go unnoticed. If you think hard enough, you'll figure it out.

"It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." ~Author Unknown

Day 18: Ok... you have my attention!

Ok... I'm finally here, and you have all my attention! I apologize for the delay today. This is exactly why I never told you guys what time of the day I was going to post everyday. I've been a bit busy today, but I'm here now.

So... if you guys are wondering what happened at yesterday's interview? Here it goes... I really underestimated the job title. They, really, take things seriously at that place. I showed up at her office at, exactly, 1:00p.m. I walked in, with a smile on my face, as she looked up at me, while on the phone, and pointed to the seat in front of her desk. I took a seat and waited for her to get off the phone. After a couple of minutes, she hung up the phone, and got up, as she smiled and walked me over to another office where the interview was going to take place. I followed her into the other office, and sat down across from her desk. As she began the interview, I felt my face getting red and I grew a bit nervous. She asked to me tell her a bit about myself, and I started to talk, when, I realized I was stuttering a bit. I thought to myself, "why the hell am I getting so nervous? This is not my dream job and she's not that much older than me?" So I started to talk about my accomplishments and I told her that I had experience working with children, as an arts and crafts teacher at an Elementary school in Pasadena, which I do. Then...she asked me, "what school was that?" I stared, blankly, at her trying to remember the school's name...(thinking...thinking...thinking..ummm) then, I just said, "I don't remember, I will definitely let you know as soon as I remember." Then, here is the worst part... she looked at me and said, "Well, that's why you should have written a resume, then, you wouldn't have to worry about forgetting anything," as she smiled at me. :) So, that's the worst part of it. The rest worked out okay, I think. She asked me a couple more questions and gave me a couple of scenarios with children and asked me what actions I would take in those cases. I think I answered them okay. She asked me what the best part of working with children is, and I said that, "kids keep you humble." She asked me what the worst part was, and I was about to answer, when I remembered that you're not supposed to answer interview questions with negative responses, so, I said there are no bad parts working with children...as I thought about a couple of past experiences I could've mentioned. She looked at me, kind of surprised, and said, "ok, great" with, yet, another smile. In conclusion, she said that they're going to need TAs for the Spring and Summer, so they'll contact me when needed. You guys will definitely find out if I get called in or not; I'll still be here in the Spring and Summer.

So, that's it for my interview process... I was thinking about posting that last night, but I thought I'd give you guys a heads up before posting twice a day.

Today, I donated to Haiti! Actually, to the Red Cross, which only takes $10 donations, but I finally donated. Actually, I wasn't going to donate today, but I heard a Michael Jackson song on the radio this morning. Can you guys guess what song it was??? YA!! Heal the World...that song always gave me the goosebumps! It was a different version with a lot of different artists who collaborated together to make this new version.

Listening to this song, after so many years, made me think of Michael Jackson and how much of a difference his music made. He was truly special, despite all his personal issues, I think that he was an incredible human being. I never understood why people would pass out at his concerts, (it was actually kind of scary to watch it as a child) but he was amazing. So, as I sit here at my desk, again, tonight, I sip my wine from a plastic mini, Smart & Final, wine cup, and I toast to Michael Jackson as I think about what kind of a difference I can make in my lifetime.

Tip of the Day: It's a bit late in the day now, but, tonight, drink some alcohol, get loose, and relax. It's Friday night, you deserve it! Enjoy yourself, and if you don't drink alcohol, eat or drink something you really do enjoy. I'm about to go home and have pizza, pasta, wine, and chocolate...so...Enjoy!

Oh,by the way...the name of the school is Webster Elementary! I did remember!

We'll Be Right Back!!!

Hello, if you guys are here to read today's post, I promise to post as soon as I can give you all my attention. It's been a hectic day and I want to give you my all, so... we'll be right back!

Day 17: I'm Late!

I have an interview today... :/ I haven't had an interview since Baskin Robbins back in 2002. Wow, that's a long time ago! I'm not sure what to think about it, but I'm not nervous at all. I take Ceramics and Yoga classes at Mcgroarty Arts Center here in Tujunga, and they have classes for all ages. I thought that if I'm going to go up there twice a week, I should probably get involved in something else the school provides. So, I looked into it, and I found out that they need TA's for the kid's art classes. It sounded cool to me, so...today is interview day. I wasn't even sure what to wear in the morning. I remember we learned what to do in high school, but, sorry to say, that was almost 10 years ago. So, I just put some jeans and a nice sweater on. After all, I'm not applying for the president's assistant job. If I was, Obama would be disappointed at my outfit, but it's just kid's art classes.

So, I sit here at my desk, at the studio, 22 minutes before the interview, blogging. I think I should get going now... I remember learning that it's better to be 10 minutes early, right? Oh, and I have no resume to show (very few artists have resumes, and I wasn't going to write out my experience in ice cream scooping now), but I did fill out this 4 question questionnaire, which, basically, covered everything they needed to know. Ok, I have 19 more minutes until showtime.

Oh, by the way, yesterday my sister asked me, "So, what happened, did you donate to Haiti relief, or not?" If I left you guys wondering, I thought I said that I realized then that I had not, which meant that I had not. She said she was wondering... I will donate, but not yet. Maybe...next week, when I feel like being kind again.

Tip of the Day: Get involved/participate in something that you enjoy, maybe just for the Spring/Summer. It'll keep you feeling upbeat and you'll learn from a new surrounding. You'll learn more than you think, even if they're 5 year old kids with their hands and faces covered in paint.

Day 16: ?$!....

So, this is really hard to admit, but I had nothing to write about today. I mean, I did, but my mind was totally blank at one point. I tried everything: listening to a variety of music, reading blogs, posts, the news, magazines, books, chocolate, phone conversations, etc. At one point, I was wondering if I should post that, today, I have nothing for you guys. I sat here, in front of the computer for a while, thinking about what I would care about enough to write about. Then, I remembered I keep a 5 year diary, which is 5 years of day by day entries. I looked inside to what I did last year on this day, but it was blank. It seems I didn't feel like writing on the 17th of February, 2009.

So... I sat here a bit longer, and stared into space, sipping my, now, cold coffee, and wondered when the hell it was going to come to me. I decided to get up and do other things, and try not to think about it for a while. So, I got up, started to work on something else, when a Hispanic guy came to my door, looked through the glass door window, and yelled, "Hi, how are you?" I went over to open the door because I saw the bucket in his hand. He was from an organization of Youths Against Violence here in Tujunga, and they come by every once in a while with a bucket of the long sugar sticks, and Tamarindo sticks, which I love. They give you a stick for every dollar and give out a small piece of paper explaining what they do. Before I opened the door, I grabbed money from my wallet knowing that I wanted some Tamarindo sticks. I opened the door, greeted him, handed him the money, and got my snacks. He greeted me, but totally forgot to present himself by telling me why he was doing what he was doing. (He probably felt like there was no need to, since I already had the money in my hand) He handed me the plastic wrapped Tamarindo sticks, and said, "Have a nice day!" I smiled, walked in, and closed the door, realizing that I still haven't donated to Haiti Relief.

Someone I know hadn't donated because every advertisement they heard on Haiti donations, was asking for $10 instead of $5. He was talking about how he wanted to donate $5, and was waiting for them to ask for $5. I thought it was funny at first, but it made sense. Hey, at least, he wanted to donate.

Tip of the Day: Donate $1, $2, $5, $10 to someone/something. Donate it to something you care about. It'll make you feel better about yourself. If you can help out, why not?

“The pig and the chicken were on their way to breakfast, trying to decide what to have. When chicken said, ''Let's have ham and eggs.'' The pig then replied, ''That's fine for you, it's a small donation on your part, but it's a total sacrifice for me.''”

http://thinkexist.com/quotation/the_pig_and_the_chicken_were_on_their_way_to/335664.html

Day 15: To Throw Out or Not

To Throw Out or Not

Last night, my mom and sister were cleaning out the garage, which used to be my studio while I was going to school, before I started the gallery. They're converting it into a closet now, and I am not surprised. They've been working on this project for a while now, maybe two weeks, a little bit at a time. The right side of the garage is a stack of things, my things, (a drafting table, portfolio, books, etc.) which are going to sell at the garage sale my sister is planning on having. (Which is never going to take place) The left side of the garage is the laundry area and the rest of the garage is a disaster, there's stuff all over the floor.

Now, this was the problem, my mom doesn't throw things away, and my sister wants to get rid of stuff we still use. So, there was a bit of noise, screaming, and misunderstanding going on in my house last night. I, normally, don't like to participate in these revolutions, except when they're throwing out my stuff. So, I walked into the garage after dinner, placed my cup of wine on the table in the middle of the room, and just looked at them. My mom looked at me and said, "Don't worry, don't lift a finger, we got it!" Obviously, she was being sarcastic. I just smiled and stepped over all the stuff on the floor trying to find the computer desk. As I sat down, my sister started asking me if I need this or that. With the gallery being small, I still have art supplies at home, so, most of it still my stuff. My sister picked up my black portfolio that I bought about six years ago when I first started art school. She said, "I'm going to sell this, you never use it." I just nodded and turned to the computer screen. Right then, my mom grabbed the portfolio from her and said, "No, don't give it away, we can put all these papers in it and store it here. You know how much money she paid for this? Why does she want to give everything away? No, we're keeping this!" I turned to her and said, "Mom, I don't want it, just give it away. I bought it six years ago. I don't want it!" As I was telling her I didn't want it, she set the portfolio down, and started to put all my papers in it trying to organize them in there. I just got up, went over to her, stood there and looked down at her saying, "I don't want it!" She looked up at me and kept at what she was doing. I just stood there, surprised that she was still trying to pack it up. So, as I stood there looking at her, until she came to her cracking point, and just started to laugh at what she was doing. Fortunately, the portfolio was set aside to be sold at the garage sale that's never going to take place. The conversion is still not complete, but closer to the finale. It'll take a couple more screaming sessions until final completion.

Tip of the Day: Get rid of the stuff you don't use and haven't used for years. Don't hold onto junk. You need the extra space, but you won't realize it until the stuff occupying the space is gone. Get rid of it! Give it away! Someone else can use it! Try it, it feels refreshing!

"I have an early memory of being sad and reluctant to throw away my old pair of sandals. I just really felt it was an injustice to them; they had character and had been loyal. I was three. Ever since then, I have found that I grow very attached to objects, often right away, sometimes after some time. I've been through extremely disordered stages in life and now I'm over it. For me I realised that objects require cleaning and I'm just not up for that right now. That really, really helped me to realise that. Basically I've pared down everything I own. But, when I do throw things out, it's nearly always in a 'frenzy' - it takes for me to get sick of not throwing things out before I do it and then I can work through and throw "nearly everything" out. I try to get rid of everything because I know I'll always keep some stuff no matter what I tell myself.

Best of luck to all " - http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt116289.html

Day 14: Two weeks down...50 weeks to go

Get Out of Your Norm and Try Something Different

Since I've been thinking about love a lot lately, I'm kind of drained out. Love takes a lot out of you. Even thinking about it so much makes you sigh deeply, so, I'm going to lay off love for a while. Since Valentine's Day is over, we can all go back to being rude, ignorant, and unloving again. No, I'm just kidding. Annoyingly enough, everyday should be like Valentine's Day, but we all know, that's never going to happen. I guess, just try your best, which is all we can do. But, today, I want to think about a lighter subject.

Today, someone I know decided to stay home and not show up to work. She just decided that she wanted to sleep in and do whatever for the day. She said, "I just don't feel like going to work, I've worked too much lately." I just looked at her and asked, "Are you depressed?, You know what you should do? ... go home and watch My Sister's Keeper and cry a bit." She looked at me and started to laugh as she asked, "Why would I want to cry?" I started to laugh with her and told her it was just a suggestion. It was weird for a second, but then I realized that it wasn't a bad idea, actually.

Tip of the Day: Everybody should do something different sometimes. Especially, the ones who have daily routines and schedules. I apologize, but I can't relate to people who do have regular, everyday routines, but in order to stay sane, please take the day off and enjoy your day. Do anything but work. Do it to get out of your norm.

"I was doing something today that I'd never done before, a small thing, granted, but how often do I get to say that? And what will I be able to do tomorrow that I can not yet do today?" Elizabeth Gilbert, from her book Eat Pray Love

Make a Smilebox greeting

What is Love Finally

Love is None of the Above

Happy Valentine's Day to all the readers! We have finally reached our last day on love. I hope I can come to a good conclusion. I just type these things up as they come into my mind, so not much thought goes into the wording. Yesterday, I was telling a friend of mine about my blog, and I told her that I enjoy it mostly because I get to sit in total silence for 20 minutes, everyday, and think. It's kind of like a daily journal entry, except it's public. So, not to get off the subject here, I just want you guys to know that I'm completely here when I'm doing this. It's not work that I have to get done, it's for my personal satisfaction. As I think and write about certain things, I figure these things out for myself.

So as we try to figure love out, here is some interesting stuff I've been holding onto for a while, and, now, I can actually share it with you guys.
Some children were asked what they think love is...and here are their answers:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."
Rebecca (age 8)
"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that you name is safe in their mouth." Billy (age 4)
"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boys puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." Karl (age 5)
"Love is when you go out and eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." Chrissy (age 6)
"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." Terri (age 4)
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." Danny (age 7)
"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more." Emily (age 8)
"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." Bobby (age 7)
"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate." Nikka (age 6)
"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." Noelle (age 7)
"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy (age 6)
"During my piano recital, I was on stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore." Cindy (age 8)
"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." Elaine (age 5)
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer then Robert Redford." Chris (age 7)
"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
Mary Ann (age 4)
"I know my older sister loves me becasue she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out an buy new ones." Lauren (age 4)
"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and stars come out of you."
Karen (age 7)
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross." Mark (age 6)
"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." Jessica (age 8)

After these few days of thinking about love, I came to a conclusion of what I think love is. In your mind, get rid of everything that we've talked about for the past few days; take out everything we said love was, from your relationship. Think of your relationship lacking support, time spent together, passion, and simplicity. Now, if you still care, then, that's love. I think that real, lasting love needs all these things combined, but, in case, they don't exist at some point or another, would you still care and stick around. That's when you know you can get through the toughest of times. I hope this makes some sense to you guys. Figuring out another person can be hard, but once you've got them figured out, you decide on how to plant the seeds of your relationship, which is the hardest part. If you do it right from the beginning, you won't have to worry about it growing up. You just have to sit back, watch, and water it sometimes. (I can't believe I just used that corny metaphor) Sorry for the corniness, I didn't know how else to put it. Anyway, I hope everyone has a great Valentine's Day!

What is Love: Day 12

Women are so difficult. We always end up analyzing everything, which makes life so difficult for us. Men are simple. They mean what they say and they say what they mean. That's why there's a communication problem between the sexes. We will never understand each other because we are so different. A guy doesn't mean anything by the things he says or does except for the thing that he's exactly saying or doing. I hope you guys are still with me...

We women look into things so much, we don't realize what the hell is going on in our heads half the time. That is the reason we are moody three weeks out of the month. (and we blame it on "the time of the month.")

I am not against women. Obviously, I am one myself, but, I bear the same problem. I wish I could think like a guy sometimes, and just be, without all the mess in my head and all the extra headache. We are built differently and, sometimes, it sucks.

Today, love is simple. Atleast, it's supposed to be. I like you, you like me, I want you, you want me, I need you, you need me, so, I love you, and you love me. That is all there is to it. That is all there is supposed to be to it. Once we understand that about each other, everything else will fall into place. The easier we make things out to be, the easier they will be. Everytime something goes wrong, just think "shit happens," and say it out loud. 95% of the time, it makes you feel better about the situation.

If he's not picking up, responding, contacting you, or paying any attention, then, for a man, that just means "that." I guess, "he's just not that into you." If he shows you attention, cares, and does everything to make you smile, then, that's exactly what he means to do. Us women, we think that if he's not picking up, maybe he's busy, if he's not responding, maybe the message didn't go through, and if he's not calling or paying attention, well, maybe he's just too busy, so, I'll call him to remind him I exist. If he's showing you attention and caring, then, he's either a wuss that can't get another girl, is a momma's boy, or, maybe, he's just trying to get into my pants, or... he's just too nice. Women don't like nice me. Some of us just enjoy being treated like shit and crying all the time. Most of us take this kind of treatment, until we decide to get with a nice guy. But, unfortunately, some of us never get it at all. The ones that don't ever get it, just go with the flow for the rest of their life, hopefully, having a few girlfriends to run to.

The reason why there are so many relationship issues is because of these translations that have gone bad. Why can't we just take things as they are. Everything has to be rocket science with us and, obviously, everything has to include our deepest feelings and concerns. Love should be simple.

Tip of the Day: If you're a woman, try to take things lightly. Try to think like a man and be straightforward. Don't beat around the bush and tell him that you don't want anything for Valentine's Day, when you do. He's not going to get that you want something when you say you don't. He's not going to get that you're just saying that to be modest. If you're a man, try to be a bit more sensitive towards women. Try to pay attention to her if you care and show her a bit of love, even when you feel like she's blabbing on like a crazy person, because, yes, we do sound crazy most of the time, but most of the time, we can't help it.

"This is a man's world, but it would be nothing without a woman or a girl." James Brown & Betty Jean Newsome

I just read over my blog after I posted it, and I sound kind of mad. I'm really not mad. These are just the types of things that run through my mind when I come across a hard headed man once in a while. I think about these things and try to understand our differences and make peace with it. It's the only way I've learned how to deal.

What is Love? Day 11

This is the Time of Our Lives

So...we have support, learning to let go, and passion so far. I'm trying my best not to get on the corny, boring side here... We can say love is respect, honesty, understanding, etc., but that's boring crap. We all know the common things love consists of, so let's think about it a bit longer, and come up with something that will actually help us in our daily life.

You know, I thought I was the only one here, writing away, with no one paying attention (except for the couple of people in my life who are forced to read this thing), but a friend told me, today, that she looks forward to reading it everyday. Why? Do I really make sense and can I really hold your attention until the last period? :) I guess I can! So, I'm kind of excited now, but, the pressure is on.

Sometimes, I feel like I don't have any girl friends. I had best friends when I was younger, but they didn't last. My sister has been my best friend in my life for many years now. As we grow up, get busy, and change as individuals, we begin to pick out certain relationships and get rid of others. We grow apart from some and grow closer to others that seem more important. So, we decide what we want our lives to be like and who we want in our lives. Not to say that, we don't care for the people we let go, but there is something that brings us to our decisions.

The other day, I received an email from a girl friend of mine that I see about once a year. She's a bit far and thought that she should make me aware of a mutual friend's sad situation. She asked me if I could pay attention to that friend and try to give her something to smile about. The fact that she took the time to care, and write to me, makes her an unbelievable human being. She, obviously, knows about support and passion. She also made me realize that, love is making time. Making time for the things and the people in our lives is what's going to matter later. Everybody has issues, responsibilities, and work. Trust me, you're not the only one.

Tip of the Day: Plan something for this weekend and do it. Not just because it's Valentine's Day, but because you want to. Think about what's most important to you, and reward your relationship with some time. Just try to relax and enjoy yourself!

"There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing." - Brian Tracy

What is Love: Day 10

I could tell you that I watched another movie yesterday, and this is what I think today, (and I did, The Red Violin) but it wasn't the movie I watched that makes me say that, today, Love is passion.

Being in my twenties, out of school, almost married, everyday of my life is what brings me to talking about passion. Wanting to do something different everyday, with my art, I refuse to give up and get a job that's going to give me a steady paycheck. I feel like that this is my purpose and I just need a bit of time to get the world's attention. It's what I think about going to bed and what I wake up thinking. I think about the white walls in a gallery and I think of what project I'm going to work on next. I feel that it is passion that drives me to be so stubborn and keep at it. Being out of school for a year now, I haven't received any means of financial reward. Anyone doing this without passion would have given up and gotten a day job. Atleast, that's what I think. I don't mean to say that I don't have expenses and I just paint all day, like a crazy artist. I spend more than a normal working person; I'm just lucky enough to have family support.

Besides being passionate about what you do, it's important to be passionate towards another person. We are physical beings and it's the passion we feel towards another human being that drives us to getting married, having children, and building a new life.

Passion is defined in many different ways from having strong emotions and feelings to having a stong sexual desire toward someone. I think passion towards someone is when you can't stop kissing, even when you can't feel your lips anymore. It's the urge you feel when you can't help but be honest and act upon your honesty. We express our passion when we're happy, aroused, sad, and angry. Without it, we would be nothing. It is what defines us as separate individuals, but it is also what keeps us together.

Tip of the Day: Whatever it is that you're passionate about, pay attention to it. Don't put aside what you love and concentrate on something else just because it's keeping your life steady for now. There's always a way to do things sumultaneously. If you don't do it now, then, when?

If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you. ~ T. Alan Armstrong

What is Love? Day 9

I've been thinking about "love" a lot lately. It's a really hard subject, I think. It's a personal subject, so different for each person, but, yet, so similar. I've thought about it so much, I'm not sure what to think anymore. I've been thinking about the unordinary things about love. I've been thinking about how love can hurt us, change our mood in a milli second, or make us do things we never thought we were capable of. Most of us have probably experienced it: the pounding in our hearts when we hear a name, or the turning of our stomachs when they're present. It's a terrible feeling to have, but one of the greatest pleasures in life. Without going through the experience of love, life is not experienced.

Yesterday, I watched the movie, My Sister's Keeper, which is about a family having to let their child, who's dying from Leukemia, go. (Watching movies has been my hobby lately. It's what's been giving me my alone time.) So the movie was sad and depressing. It's one to watch if you feel like you need to cry a bit, but it made me realize that love is learning to let go. Parents have to let go of their children, children have to let go of parents, and we all have to learn to let go of each other some time in our lives.

Break ups seem like the end of world to us when they happen, until a bit of time goes by and helps us cope with our situations. We can't wait for that feeling of loss to go away. There's nothing else we can think about or concentrate on. It's the worst thing that could happen at that moment, but time heals it all, magically. It would be much easier if we had a fast forward button to jump over the parts where we cry ourselves to sleep, walk around like zombies, or sit there staring into space while, purely, enjoying it.

I've come to realize that these things we go through is what makes life "life." It's the reason for our being here: to feel, cry, laugh, and make love. They say that, "It's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years." I say,"love as much as you can in life, and if you have to learn to let go at some point, just wait, it'll pass." So, for today, love is learning to let go.

"I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, disparingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing."

- Agatha Christie

Tip of the Day: If you've been holding on to a certain thing in your life, try to let it go. Instead of thinking about and analyzing everything that went wrong, try to think about the good things it brought you. Think of how lucky you are to have experienced this in your life. Now, you have a story to tell.

What is Love? Day 8

With Valentine's Day in the air, I wanted to write about love for the next few days. Love being such a broad thing in our lives, hopefully, by the 14th of February (which will be "Day 13") we will reach a conclusion to what this whole love thing is all about.

It's Day 8 today, 1AM, and I got out of bed, and got my laptop to start writing today's post. If there's anyone reading my blog. at all, I thought giving you my thoughts, at this hour, would be the best type of love I can show you right now. This is when I can't stop from being honest and I'm usually thinking about everything that comes to mind.

I just finished watching Julie & Julia. the movie. It is a very cute movie (chick flick actually), but with a deep meaning behind it. The main character in the movie devotes herself to writing a blog, like myself, for the next year. Except, she has to cook 524 recipes and write about her experiences. Besides connecting to that movie because of what she had decided to do for one year, I was intrigued by the husband/wife relationships portrayed.

The relationship between a husband and a wife is a hard one to express in words. It takes special character and a special type of love in one's heart to maintain a spark in a relationship. Being young and having been in a relationship for a long while now, I, sometimes, wonder about what it does take to be in a happy marriage and if I'm going to be good at it.

It's all a bunch of questions to me right now, but what I do know is that support goes a long way in a relationship. Support goes a long way in any type of relationship. The thought of feeling like you have a strong backbone or something to fall back on makes everyone stronger in every way possible. It helps us move forward on our path, almost fearlessly. So for today, love is support.

Tip of the Day: Show support to a certain person in your life, in some way. Ask them about something important to them and share your thoughts with them, letting them know that you care and hope to be supportive. Be interested and lend a hand, if needed.

Last Day of the First Week: Day 7

Pay Attention to You, You Might Just Need a Spoonful of Nutella

Weeks go by quickly. We wake up on a Monday morning wanting it to be Friday, so we can enjoy the weekend. We're always looking forward to something in the future, which, unconsciously, makes us take our present day for granted. Everybody has certain responsibilities and duties to fulfill everyday, which drains us out at some point. We have a long list of things that need to get done by the end of the day and we don't stop to think about ourselves and what we want. Days and weeks go by and we don't even stop to think about which part of the past week we actually enjoyed. Some of us are lucky enough to be doing what we want and loving our job, but even having that, and being human, we find a way to not enjoy that after a while.

The one thing everyone needs and doesn't realize is alone time. The amount of stress, mixed feelings, and thoughts that takes over us daily need to be expressed somehow. The time we spend with ourselves, alone, helps us not lose sight of our inner selves. Paying attention to yourself is vital to how you feel everyday.

I sit here at my desk trying to give you guys something good to follow for the day, as I hold a spoonful of Nutella in my mouth. I keep the jar on my desk, in case I feel the need to nourish my cravings at any moment. It's one way I keep myself content. Attending art classes since I was eight and drawing and painting for most of my life, I can't imagine not being able to tune my brain out for a while. Everybody needs something that gives them a natural high, because "we all know, when life happens, we need it!"

Tip of the Day: Find something, besides work, friends, and family, that make you happy. Get a hobby, if you don't have one. Reward yourself at least once a week with alone time. Take a class in Ceramics, Yoga, painting, Math, English, or whatever floats your boat. Do it because you enjoy it, and try to be present, with your mind and body, at all times. If you already enjoy a hobby, do something else once a week, like, walking the dog, jogging, a puzzle, or a bubble bath. In order for you to be content with your life and everybody else around you, you need to be content with yourself. Don't take your day for granted looking forward to tomorrow. Look forward to right now and what's right in front of you. Try to enjoy every moment!

“Today is life-the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today. Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto.” Dale Carnegie

You Are Who You Are

"Red Head"

The saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover," exists, but, most of the time, not used. We, as humans, have a difficult time not seeing people as they are on the outside. It's the one thing we pay attention to when meeting someone for the first time or watching someone from far. We can't help but have our ideas and opinions about each other. (Women expressing it more than man) We all know that we shouldn't judge by appearance, but we'd much rather have our spouse be the best looking man/woman in the room. It's natural. We can't help but react when we see someone/something we think is beautiful. Each one of us being so different, our ideas of beauty vary, but crosses paths most of the time when someone/something is truly unique. I would guess that only 10% or 15% of men would think that Angelina Jolie or the image of the "Red Head" are not attractive at all.

Most women wake up every morning and do certain things to look attractive and accepted by the outside world. We go through a whole process each day just to feel good about ourselves and personally, I think, that we should take care of ourselves. We should look good on the outside so that it can make us feel better on the inside. If putting on some makeup and wearing our hair down makes our day better and helps us walk taller, then, why not. Everyone deserves attention and admiration. For some of us, getting a compliment makes us smile and think good about ourselves for at least one minute of our day.

My point is not that image is everything, but, it is something. It's the only way we put ourselves out there in front of the world, to judge. And the world can't help but judge.

Tip of the Day: If you're a woman, dress up and put some makeup on. If you already do, then, keep at it. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up. Just remember to be yourself at all times, no matter if it's Gucci, Coach, or Forever 21. If you're a man, compliment a woman once in a while. It means the world to them, most of the time.

“Your self image is your pattern!. Every thought has an activity visualized. Every activity belongs to a pattern. You identify with your pattern or thought. Your patterns leads your life.” - J.G. Gallimore

Happy Birthday 6th of February Birthdays!

The 5th Day of Just Another Blog Day!

Today is just another day. It's the 6th day of February, a Saturday, in the year 2010, almost 3:00 p.m. We woke up, got out of bed, brushed our teeth just like we do everyday. But, today is not just any day. Today, it's someone's Birthday out there. There's someone out there turning 20, someone turning 30, and someone turning 50, today. It's a day to celebrate someone's day of birth. Everyday is someone's birthday and I admire the one's who celebrate theirs. Every birthday, whether the 1st, 10th, 50th, or 95th should be celebrated. It's the only day of the year that is your day. It belongs to you and anything goes on that day. Unless, you're born on the 29th of February, which means your birthday comes once every four years. If you were born on that date, then, I don't really have anything to say about that, besides you must be really unique, and just make sure you celebrate big once every four years.

So, today I am attending 2 birthday parties, and I'm really happy, not just because it's their birthday, but because they're celebrating their age. One is turning 50 and the other 20, so, I'm going to be time traveling a bit tonight, in my own way.

We tend to brush off birthdays as we get older. We complain about the amount of candles on the cake, and how we don't feel like doing anything, but you have to realize that that day is not coming back. You're never going to be that age again. So, for the people that celebrate birthdays, stay on it, and for those who usually don't, try to age gracefully and take advantage of the fact that your brithday isn't once every four years. Enjoy every year and all that it comes with, even if it's wrinkles. Think of it this way, wrinkles are just evidence of the kind of life you've had. Laughter and smiles will keep your wrinkles in the right places.

"Every human being on this earth is born with the tragedy, and it isn't original sin. He's born with the tragedy that he has to grow up...a lot of people don't have the courage to do it."

- Helen Hayes

Tip of the Day: Spend time with a child, and you'll realize what you're missing out on. We grow up and grow out of getting excited over small things. Pay attention to what the child talks about and how they perceive the world around them. Try to keep your spirit young, no matter what age you are.

Uniqueness

“As we grow as unique persons, we learn to respect the uniqueness of others.” Robert H. Schuller

It's a cold and rainy 4th day. Rainy days make people feel a bit more into themselves than usual. More thoughts run through our minds and we usually spend that quiet moment alone. That's why it gets so depressing after a few days of rain. But, fortunately, it'll be sunny by Sunday morning for the Superbowl!

No matter sun or rain, I wake up every morning excited to post something new. It's been the highlight of the past 4 days for me. Before I began this project, I talked about it for a few days, with the people around me, telling them what my idea was and how I planned to do it. I thought about it, talked about it, and even practiced it, enthusiastically. They seemed to understand my point. They agreed it was a good idea and that I should go ahead with it. Until... I actually posted it and began this 365 day project I committed myself to. I was surprised to see their reactions to something I had been talking about for days.

Well, I thought about it a bit, and, I get it now. In order to understand, I need to take myself out of my world and think about it from their world and perspective. We live in our own little bubbles and ideas, and the actual thought of changing out mindset seems impossible. Our bubble includes our experiences, teachings, ideas, thoughts, lifestyle, morals, loves, likes, dislikes, tastes, senses, feelings, and everything else that depicts us most importantly.

If you think about it...he/she is a teacher, he/she is a nurse, he/she is a business man, etc. A business man is not going understand what I, as myself, am trying to do with my ideas and mindset. So.. sometimes, we just need to bump into someone else's bubble to see what they have going on in their world. It's the only way to understand why we're all here doing so many different things, because if we weren't so different, the world and all that it consists of wouldn't exist at all. Personally, I'd rather not understand, sometimes, then, live in a world with nothing but artists in it. I understand now and I plan on bumping into more bubbles in the future.

Tip of the Day: Try to educate yourself about someone else's profession. Be interested in what they do and how they do it. Listen or read about the task and what it takes to be what they are. It's okay to know about how some things (cars, toilets, drywall, etc.) are made. It's not a waste of time. You might need the information one day. You never know!

"Every human being is intended to have a character of his own; to be what no other is, and to do what no other can do." Channing

Honesty or Modesty?

I made it to Day 3!

Hopefully, I'll make it to Day 300 in 297 days. This is exciting for me. I hope you guys enjoy reading this stuff as much as I enjoy writing it.
So... I wanted to change a few things around starting today. I think I am going to keep some things to myself. The first two day posts have been unfiltered and total honesty. That is what I enjoy and hope to do for the next 297 days, but, maybe, filtering some of it will be better for all of us. I will be changing some things around, so if you guys are reading these posts, some feedback would be great. Let me know what you think and what you enjoy reading about most, so that I can push myself in that direction.
But for now... honesty is what is on my mind. I'm used to spitting out whatever comes to mind and that gets me in trouble or in awkward situations, most of the time, but, sometimes, I can't help it. It just happens naturally for me. It's the way I function.
The world around us, today, is not honest. It's mostly a gathering of people who like to be honest with themselves and the world, but, in reality, can't because of certain consequences and situations they try to avoid.
I mentioned in yesterday's post that I was rejected in a certain situation and that happened because I was being totally honest. I was 90% sure that I would be rejected if I brought the subject up, but I still went on and said it. At the time, I thought, "What the hell...I'm just gonna do it." Then, afterwards, I thought, "Shit, I shouldn't have said that." Then, after a long while, I'm thinking, "I'm glad I was honest, I would've wondered about it if I hadn't asked." So, I guess honesty is something that we have to think about often here on Earth, being human and interacting with each other. We make an honest decision everyday, unconsciously. Our upbringing, morals, and family are what give us the limits to our honesty. But, always remember that:

"Everyone of us lives his life just once; if we are honest, to live once is enough" by Greta Garbo

Tip of the day: Be honest about one thing today. Tell someone (mom, sister, dad, spouse) how you feel about them, call someone you've been thinking about and tell them you've been thinking about them, or write an honest letter to yourself about your life and be as honest as possible. Even if you try talking to yourself, while being honest, it feels better. Trust me! Try it!

Day 2...money, money, money

Nobody Has a Money Tree in their Backyard!

Hello and Welcome to Day 2 of Everyday Modest!

So, I didn't sleep well, at all, last night. I lay there thinking about what I would write about today. Then, finally, I fell asleep, but, at 6am, my brain woke up confused again. Despite a rejection I got yesterday about a certain situation, I had to come up with something else. Finally, I just got out of bed, did my usual morning "getting ready" routine, while thinking quietly. Then, as I looked at myself in the mirror, I said to myself, "just let it go, something will come to you."

This being such a personal project, it's very difficult for me to edit my thoughts and experiences. With all that's going on in my head, I need to edit this stuff so that you guys don't get a confused look on your faces after reading the post.

Then, as I left the house, trying to be aware of everything happening around me, (like arguing with my sister for the bathroom) I experienced the experience I want to tell you guys about today.

First off, I'm going to introduce my fiance, Armen, because he's probably going to be mentioned an abundant of times in the next year. Armen and I have been together longer than I can think back to remember. We were friends before we were romantic with each other, so he's like my best friend. He's very good to me in every way, and, me, well, I try.

So, we decided to stop by the bank this morning before he dropped me off at the gallery. As we walked towards the double doors of the bank, I thought about the deposit I had to make and how much of it was going to be left, after the overdrawn amount was paid off. We walked in together to the vacant bank. As he walked off to the teller beside me, I walked up to another and spoke in a very low voice asking her, "Can I get a printed transaction history?" As I looked over at Armen, he was cashing a check. I slid my card through the machine as she said out loud, "Do you know your account is overdrawn?" I just nodded my head at her and gave her the checks I needed to deposit. After depositing, I had just enough funds left over to keep my account from being negative. I got the print out of my transaction history from her and walked over to Armen, while looking over the numbers. He looked at me, and asked, "Are you overdrawn?" I just looked at him and shook my head. Before he could say anything else, the teller slipped a wad of $100 bills under the window to him and asked, "Rubber band?" Armen smiled and said, "No, thanks," as he picked up the bills and slipped it into his pocket. So... I guess, you could say we're a couple with our differences.

From my own experiences, my financial problems arise because I don't bother myself with the counting and headache. But being in these situations, I realize that it's so worth the headache. Today's tip is one that I need to try out myself. Just because I give out the tips doesn't mean I got it all down myself, because "God knows," I need a bit of advice myself. So, my account is not overdrawn and I am aware of the amount that is available now. :)

Tip of the Day: Try to keep a daily log of your expenses and income. It will make life so much easier when you know where it's all going at the end of the month.

"Money is a headache, and money is the cure. " ~Everett Mámor