Last week, inspired by an article in Body+Soul magazine, I did some spring organizing and tried to remove as much unwanted clutter as possible. The article was organized by room. The bedroom was first: out went clothes that I don't wear anymore, jewelry that's been sitting in the closet since college, and shoes that never fit ( Read more... )

A couple weekends ago, I was expecting some company (a family I used to work with) and did some light organizing around the apartment. I came across some photos I'd printed ages ago that I'd been planning to put up. After living here for almost two years, I decided it was high time I actually start to decorate my walls ( Read more... )

Last weekend, I went to my aunt's house to visit her after her stroke. She had been on the plane home from the Holy Land when it happened, but is now safe and sound in her bed at home and recovering nicely. My brother and I visited with her in her room for a while, and the rest of the time, I sat in the living room, reading a copy of Better Homes ( Read more... )

As always, I've been reading food books. The latest is Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food. Despite the fact that I'm not cooking a lot these days (because I'm eating at work for free), I definitely agree with his stance on eating real, whole foods and eating the way our great-grandparents did. (In that same vein, I recently gave up eating things " ( Read more... )

I went shopping at Old Navy last night with some people from work and the "Friends and Family" 30% discount that my stepmother had sent me. Clothes on sale are even better when there's another discount on top of it! I didn't buy a whole lot because I'm mostly broke right now. But my colleagues took full advantage of the extra 30% off and bought ( Read more... )

No, not a white Christmas. Far from it, actually. I've been daydreaming about camping lately. Today, while my babies were crawling around the yard, I lay on the turf and looked at the blue sky through the budding branches of the mulberry tree, wishing I was camping ( Read more... )

I'm really enjoying reading a blog called The Happiness Project, written by a lawyer-turned-writer who went on a search to become happier. It's uplifting without being too sappy or preachy. Her thoughts and advice ring true to me, and I read it when I'm needing an emotional boost.

The other thing I found surprisingly inspirational was the book Eat ( Read more... )

I live in the apartment at the end of the building, so I only have neighbors on one side. These neighbors are young, and honestly, I don't know what they do. I think the guy works - I've seen him leaving and wearing a white button-down. I've only ever really seen the girl going out to do laundry in her "I'm an angsty punk" clothes. Whatever they do ( Read more... )

My hair is newly short and asymmetrical, more so than before. (My hair is ever-evolving, thanks to my wonderous stylist.) I love it. I'm considering dyeing it, and he suggested black and platinum. I'll think on it. Honestly, this guy has done such awesome things with my hair that I trust his judgment one hundred-and-ten percent. I'm thinking I ( Read more... )