Sunday, January 26, 2014

the sunday currently, volume 71.



here's what i do while justin is getting a hair cut: take photos of myself

Good morning, folks! I'm coming to you from my couch, where I am sitting - ridiculous bed head & all - & sipping on today's steaming hot cup of caramel vanilla cream coffee. Before I came in here to the living room to write my post, I was hitting the snooze button like it was my job, for an entire hour past when I planned to wake up. Maybe that's irresponsible, but the truth is, I was having a dream about talking to my friends & acquaintances about food journaling. Thrilling stuff, right? Oh, & also in the dream, I had returned to gymnastics & was having to perform in front of all of my teammates. Needless to say, I wasn't doing very well, especially on bars. 

So, that's where I am this morning. Or rather, where I came from: a very weird dreamland. 

Once I manage to finish this post, as well as straighten my unruly hair, we will be hitting the road to Myrtle Beach. We have a ski trip coming up in a few weeks, & we need to stock up on cold weather clothing. You know, we've got to buy things like long johns & big, puffy coats. We haven't been over to the outlets in Myrtle Beach in a while, so I'm excited to see what they have to offer, ski jackets aside. 


C  U  R  R  E  N  T  L  Y  .  .  .  

R E A D I N G Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone, still. Let me just say: I will be completing that book this week, at which point I will be moving on to Harry Potter & History, of which I have already read a few pages. My lack of enthusiasm about reading every day is a bit disconcerting, but I'm not going to be too hard on myself about all of this. It's one of those things where I know the reading bug will really come along & bite me eventually - it's all a matter of patiently waiting. 
W R I T I N G lots of interesting passages in my composition book recently. Maybe I'll be tempted to share some of them with you all soon. All I know is that, instead of going to sleep at a reasonable hour last night, I was sitting at my desk with wet hair, scribbling away in there. And alas, the reason I slept an hour past my alarm time. 
L I S T E N I N G to the scrape & clink of the coffee cup as I pick it up & put it down repeatedly. I'd hold it here with me as a type, but it's entirely too hot. Which reminds me: my local Starbucks has been out of "coffee collars" for like... two months now, & yesterday, while transporting both a steaming Peppermint Mocha & a scalding Caramel Flan, I'm pretty sure I burned the you-know-what out of the palms of my hands. Total first world problems, I know, but I don't understand why they haven't been able order them/keep them in stock. ::silly rant over:: 
T H I N K I N G that my relationship with food has definitely not been a good or healthy once since I've returned to Wilmington. It's time for an overhaul of sorts, & I'm ready for it. We're planning to go shopping for groceries this evening when we get back from Myrtle Beach, & I am already formulating a list of New Beginnings Foods in my head. Sometimes you just have to keep starting over until things click. I won't give up. 
S M E L L I N G coffee. That's all really, because my nose has been doing that thing recently where I have to try really hard to smell things. Which I'm pretty sure is just a bad case of allergies. 
W I S H I N G I would have practiced a little bit of restraint & not had donuts so late last night. I feel gross this morning. 
H O P I N G we have a lot of luck at the outlets. I'm excited, because they have a lot of stores that  we both love. Sometimes, shopping is just good for the soul. And I have a feeling today is going to be one of those days. 
W E A R I N G one of my very favorite pairs of pajama pants. I need to order a couple of replacement pairs off of Target's website. These things have seen better days. Or, perhaps a better way of saying it, is that they are well-loved & reached for often/any time they are clean.
L O V I  N G Catch Me If You Can. I think it's safe to say that there's a large chance I will love any movie Leonardo DiCaprio is in. Not to say that I like the movies just because he is in them, I just find that he is in a lot of the movies I end up liking. Anyway, last night was the first time I've ever seen the aforementioned movie, & I loved it.
W A N T I N G another cup of coffee. 
N E E D I N G to get it together this week, eating-wise. No excuses. 
F E E L I N G like I barely got any sleep at all. Probably because I went to bed late, then had my alarm set for seven. Those terms don't exactly end up working out, do they? I need to enforce a little bit earlier of a bed time for myself this week.   
C L I C K I N G this DIY on Lark & Linen from Oh So Pretty. I have an inkling that mine would not turn out quite so pretty.

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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

i've been...

in a rut since we got back to wilmington.
i've been making to-do lists, then not doing them.
i've been pumping myself full of coffee.
i've been watching youtube videos.
i've been learning crochet.
i've been getting pretty excited about crochet.
i've been drinking a lot of water.
we've been watching game of thrones.
and also, say yes to the dress.
i've been writing in my journals & planners.
i've been wanting to blog about said journals & planners.
i've been running & working out & stretching.
i've been playing around with some routines.
i've been waiting by the mail box. 
i've been procrastinating. 
i've been waking up early THIS WEEK.
i've been sleeping until noon the other weeks. 

that's a small peek at what i've been doing lately.

Monday, January 20, 2014

songs from wilmington: playlist I.



exploring music city in december

As per my resolutions post, today I am sharing with you my very first playlist of two thousand fourteen. I hope these songs serve to brighten up your day & cause you to feel inspired. 

THUNDER CLATTER | wild cub
A DUSTLAND FAIRYTALE | the killers
RUBY BABY | dion
HELP I'M ALIVE | metric
THE POWER OF LOVE | huey lewis and the news
NORTHERN LIGHTS | cider sky
LINGER | the cranberries
SPARKLERS | gemini club
THE BIG THREE KILLED MY BABY | the white stripes
CHANGING OF THE SEASONS | two door cinema club
THIS IS YOUR LIFE | the killers
NEW SOUL | yael naim
OPEN YOUR HEART | madonna
DON'T GO AWAY | oasis
YOU GOTTA MOVE | heatmiser
E-PRO | beck
FLUME | bon iver
TEAM | lorde

Care to share some inspiration for Playlist II? Share your current favorite song below.
Also, want to listen to Playlist I? It can be found here.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

the sunday currently, volume 70.



from last weekend. hello, friend in the back! 

Best of mornings to ya, folks. As I sat down to tap out this week's currently post, I realized that I am lacking a bit of inspiration, lacking a bit of excitement to share with you all. But then, I realized almost as quickly that the premise behind The Sunday Currently is not to only share when you have something interesting or groundbreaking or wonderful to relate - it is about simply sharing what is currently going on in your life. So that's what I did today. And I didn't feel guilty about its lack of luster, once I realized that. Not every week of your life can be thrilling or inspiration-laden, or even productive, & that is ok. It's part of life. And it makes those inspiring weeks that much more wonderful, doesn't it?

C  U  R  R  E  N  T  L  Y  .  .  .  

R E A D I N G food labels a bit more carefully this week. I started a food journal at the end of this past year, & I like to think it's helping me on the quest to being more healthy. It's definitely true that when you write down everything you eat, you're slower to to have that second cookie. 
W R I T I N G some exciting emails soon, maybe even this week. Sometimes you just have to put yourself out there & see if any opportunities are waiting on you. And even if they're aren't any, you're still the better for making a move, instead of standing by idly & wondering when things will change.
L I S T E N I N G to cars zoom past our apartment on the road right outside our window. It's very quiet in the 103 this morning. And sometimes, that kind of solitude is exactly what I crave on a Sunday morning.
T H I N K I N G that sometimes when I'm writing out my currentlies, my mind will go blank. I'll read "thinking," & I'll be like... "... wait, what am I thinking?" Other times, the words flow easily. I'm sure I'm not the only person this happens to.  
S M E L L I N G the Caramel Vanilla Cream k-cup I just brewed up & am now enjoying. Ahhhhh, coffee & it's restorative properties. And I think CVC is one of my all-time favorites, along with Breakfast Blend & Pumpkin Spice. Do you use k-cups? What are your favorite flavors? I love trying new ones.
W I S H I N G I could have sushi & Mexican food each day & never gain a pound. I went to one of my favorite local Mexican restaurants last night with a friend, & now all I can think of is having it again! 
H O P I N G I will stick to my exercise plan this week, as well as the new weekly routine I've established for myself. I am always on the quest for balance. 
W E A R I N G ... what else? Pajamas.
L O V I  N G watching Game of Thrones. And also loving that it is as good as everyone said it was. Now I really want to read those ridiculously long books, because I love ridiculously long books the best.
W A N T I N G some hash brown casserole. And more Mexican food. And sushi. And some red curry. Do you see why I need to be on my workout game this week?
N E E D I N G to be easier on myself this week, but also to get everything done. Maybe loosening the reins on myself will push me toward more productivity?
F E E L I N G a little strange & a little sad.  
C L I C K I N G Jen's 2014 New Years Resolutions video yesterday was highly inspiring to me. I also enjoyed her recent Bag Buzz post.

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Thursday, January 16, 2014

i've decided...


+ that not every single blog post requires a picture, & that sometimes, omitting a picture strengthens the lonely words' message.

+ that the whole "if you want something done, give it to a busy person" rings absolutely true with myself. full load of classes, plus outside commitments, plus life? i'm on top of my game. returning to wilmington after an action-packed shreveport visit, with no job or classes or anything to do but clean the house? i'm useless.

+ to just share. especially with my family & friends. just send the text, just pick up the phone & call. only good things can come of this.

+ to let my blog be a reflection of myself. not a means to make money or gain popularity or fame. that kind of blog just doesn't feel like me, doesn't feel natural. i just want to write & share & have a creative outlet.

+ that i really need to cut back on my social media consumption. i'm beginning to think its usage is nearly pointless in daily life, but still i find myself drawn to scroll instagram, drawn to scroll twitter, drawn to scroll facebook. perhaps i love instagram, because i love taking, sharing, & looking at photos. perhaps i love twitter because, at my core, i really do love people & like reading what they like sharing. perhaps i love facebook because i'm nosy. do you see where the conflict herein lies? 

What have you decided?

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

some links of note.

I try not to post these lists too often, but today, I had to share. I seem to be coming across a lot of interesting, inspiring blog posts recently, & I want to spread the love. So that's what I'm going to do.

I'm a sucker for stationery. So I think I'll be making this gold dot variety very soon.

I need all the help I can get, in a lot of areas. But especially with cleaning.

Stumbling across some Australian bloggers has awakened me to the fact that Christmas happens in the summer over there.

Can someone teach me how to make these kind of stitched hoop creations?

I'm a homebody, but this year, I also want to be a doer.

I like almost all of these old person things.

I love when bloggers switch gears into vlogging for a moment. And perhaps now I've been inspired to do my own vlog version of The Sunday Currently.

I've vowed to read twenty-four books this year. Maybe some of my selections will come from this list.

The gold version is my laptop background. The black version is my iPhone background. Thanks, Allyssa.

We are all enough, & we are all worth taking care of ourselves. Remember that. 

Have you stumbled upon anything that inspired you lately? Please, really do share. I'm in one of those moods where I'm finding inspiration around every corner, & I derive great joy from being in that kind of mood. Help me perpetuate it?

Monday, January 13, 2014

the comfort of airports.

As a bit of an anxious flyer, I find that when traveling, I notice things that bring about feelings of comfort more often. And, you know, I've found that airports are pretty much brimming with comforting sounds & images. 

For instance, when Justin & I got delayed in Atlanta on our way back from Shreveport, we ate at Cafe Intermezzo, at the bar. In fact, I was sitting right in front of the beer taps. I probably watched five or six frothy beers get poured, & something about that image caused my stress to recede. The bartender would fill the pilsner glass to the very top, & as he wooshed the beer off the stand, headed for its destination, a little bit would slosh out onto the floor. I don't know exactly why that image has stuck so keenly with me, but it provided a comfort, perhaps the way sitting at your local bar can feel like sitting at home.

Also, earlier that day, as we had just landed in Atlanta, our plane was taxiing to the gate, & I peered out the window & caught sight of people inside the airport, sitting at tables, enjoying their various meals. Some sat alone, some crowded around tables, some ate, & some simply enjoyed the newspaper. I don't know exactly why that image comforted me so much, but it did. Perhaps it offered up the notion that, when at the airport, we are all united in one common goal: travel. And I guess there's comfort in being part of a common idea or task, even on such a basic level.

Maybe these are a strange pair of images to have calmed me, but they did, & honestly, I think that makes them quite worth mentioning.

What comforts you when you travel? I'd love to know, as I need all the help I can get.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

the sunday currently, volume 69.



glasses on a bookshelf - from our trip to nashville in early december

C  U  R  R  E  N  T  L  Y  .  .  .  

R E A D I N G Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone. I'm pretty sure I'm going to finish it this week, & then I will work on finishing Harry Potter & History. I'm trying to read two books per month this year. 
W R I T I N G in each component of my Organizational Suite, which I plan to share more about this week.
L I S T E N I N G to hum & whir of the ceiling fan. We've had quite the lazy morning, & I am typing this as I sit against a pile of pillows in bed. 
T H I N K I N G that I'm ready to get on the ball this week! Due to the go-go-go nature of our 17-day trip home to Shreveport, I gave myself this past week off to relax & gear up for a productive rest-of-January. Well, as it turns out, a little too much of a good thing turns it into a bad thing. I feel like the laziest person on Earth. To top it all off, I also have been eating whatever I want & not working out. This has illuminated for me that there is definitely a balance to be sought out - living this way is not fun. I can't wait to get back into a healthy, productive routine.
S M E L L I N G nothing, really. When I finish this post, though, we are heading up to Sawmill for brunch, & ever since we decided that, I can practically taste the hashbrown casserole.
W I S H I N G I had been more productive last week. Though I did get some things done, I certainly can't claim too much. That feels like such a waste of time to me. 
H O P I N G there is plenty of coffee at Sawmill - I feel like I could use a vat of the stuff today.
W E A R I N G scrub pants & neon pink Bayou State Therapy shirt. 
L O V I  N G watching Say Yes to the Dress recently. Justin has been watching it with me, & they added a whole bunch of new episodes to Netflix. Cue lack of productivity last week. 
W A N T I N G to choose a new series to dive into with Justin after we finish SYTTD. Any suggestions? Shows we've loved in the past include Nip/Tuck, The Office, Mad Men, Dawson's Creek...
N E E D I N G to go eat, to pick up cleaning supplies, to clean the house, to read, to write, to make productive plans for the week...
F E E L I N G quite hungry, which is amazing, since I haven't really allowed myself to feel that way all week. 
C L I C K I N G Real Simple's When-to-Wash-It Handbook.

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the back and forth.

Justin had to turn on the air conditioner again last night.  It's October 26 - doesn't that mean the heater can stay on? Doesn't...