today the blog turns three!

Wow… When I started doing some writing back in the summer of 2011, I thought yep let’s see how long you keep this up. I think I’ve gone back and forth a lot of, lots of posts, and a slight disappearing act. However, I am happy that I still manage to write fairly regularly because I do this primarily because I like to think of it as a way to stretch myself in a more creative aspect.  For those of you who are fairly new, I am an analytical type at work, so I really love the opportunity to stretch myself outside my comfort zone out here in the blog world.

This little blog is special to me – because I get to share little things here and there, try out my voice. I am such a reader by nature, writing felt like a nice extension of that little piece of me.

I hope in the coming year to be able to share more with all of you, particularly now that I’ve ventured to a new (old) city. I am still very much getting my feet wet around here, and figuring out my world – so hopefully that leads to some interesting adventures and insights. Or maybe some hilarity – that to me would be a win for all.

As always, thank you to those who come by from time to time. I appreciate your support on this endeavor.

(photo via esty shop: Lucy Snow Photography)

15 before 2015

I totally missed the 30 before 30 posts that I keep seeing (I am old, well not really, but I am over 30 so that just seems silly to start a 40 before 40, because well I don’t want to). Instead, I am going to set a small list of goals for the next two years, and hopefully check in with this list from time to time throughout the years. Might I never touch this, sure – might I really feel better about having some goals out there. Here I go…

Get to Paris  and take the Eiffel Tower photo

Spend an afternoon in the Met, the Guggenheim, and the MoMA

Workout 3-4 times a week, every week

Read Non-Fiction regularly (ideally, every fourth book I read).

Get a pet – I really want a dog – and have a hankering for French Bulldogs (intsagram obsession). A dog might be too much so maybe I am looking at a little kitty to keep me company, or glare at me or whatever cats do. Two years to figure this out (it’s going to be a goldfish).

Get completely out of debt, student loans, credit cards, all of the above and save more money. I’ve started a little log for each month to track my progress for 2014. I hope to be debt free by December 2014, if not sooner.

Shop less. I love new clothes, I love online shopping, but I have so much already, it’s time to get rid of things before getting anything new.

Give up alcohol for Lent. 40 days, 40 nights. I am never attempting this for New Years as my birthday is so close to the beginning of the year. I just feel like a break from drinks might do a body good. Plus Fat Tuesday is a great last party night.

Volunteer my time to an organization. I tend to be a person who will write a check, or donate some money to a cause, it’s time to donate my time.

Spend two weekends a year exploring a city I’ve never been to in the United States. It’s time to start taking advantage of those weekly airline deals, the book 36 Hours, and see some of the United States.

Purchase a home. I love my apartment, but it’s time to graduate to homeownership in the next few years.

Stop allowing for completely lazy Saturdays in front of the television. I am so guilty of allowing myself to park it in my jammies (and no, not just my Christmas jammies) on a Saturday and waste the entire day watching television. One thing that might help this is that Soapnet is off the air, so no more 90210, One Tree Hill or Gilmore Girls to suck me in during the weekends.

Work on being more green in my everyday life. I am a disposable water bottle girl, and it’s so bad for the environment. I’ve also been trying to make the switch to bar soaps and shampoos to better the environment as well, the bonus is my hair looks so much better with bar soap and requires much less washing.

Get this work life balance thing under control. I am very guilty of working over the weekends, on vacations and late nights. I’d like to normalize a bit and be less of a workaholic.

Learn to snowshoe – I’ve always wanted to do this and I am going to make it happen.

Some are more ambitious than others, some are fun, others serious, all and all I like it. I’ll check in from time to time with an update to see how I am progressing. It’s fun to have a list of things to accomplish. Wish me luck!

(quote via pinterest)

2 years, 10,000+ views ever…

I follow a lot of blogs, any many people are casual bloggers like me - I really do this because I think I have something to say, no matter how trivial, and some are professional. I am a bit jealous of the professionals as their blogs look amazing, and 100% times better then mine. I probably should treat my blog to a two year anniversary update by someone who specializes in design. I still love my little project for me, I get excited when more then 20 views happen in a day, even if I've been doing a little checking on my cell phone to see how things are looking. Anyway, last week (while on vacation) my blog celebrated being two years old and finally broke into 10,000+ total page views! I cannot believe I've stuck with this that long. Thank you for anyone who has been reading this and maybe enjoying it a bit. I appreciate all my readers.

all is quiet on new year's day

Welcome to 2013- I decided that I’d take off the end of the year from my blogging so I could start off 2013 with a fresh outlook and feeling ready to dive back in. It was nice to relax and just not worry about trying to think of fun things to post, or think of fun things to post but get ready to have fun and busy start to 2013.  Right now I am debating a blog name change- I just don’t really love the way “a few of my favorite things” sounds any more. I also don’t really feel like it fits the blog. I am not really that into showing things around the web to buy or new trends, etc. I still like to do that on occasion, but it’s much more a back burner blog post these days. I find the blogs I like to read are just very life style orientated, taking on the life of the blogger, which is where I think I started to head more and more throughout 2012.  For now, I’ll be jotting a few ideas on my notepad at my desk, so maybe in a month or so you’ll see a better more aptly named space.

Also on the 2013 agenda is to just enjoy the little things more and more – take more time out of the busy life to do simple things, like cook dinner, make it out for a jog, sign up for some strange class or discussion. Hoping that I can stick to this plan this year… hold me to it won’t you please?

(photo from pinterest)

anniversary made for you

My blog turns one year today. It is actually something I wasn't sure I'd see through for an entire year - I have a habit of starting blogs and doing one post and then never doing anything again. On this one I managed a heck of a lot more posts just having fun bringing my thoughts on various things to all of you. Thank you for coming and visiting me, if you like what you see I hope you come back, say hello and enjoy!

(photo from pinterest)

Another Blog Attempt

I've tried to be a blogger at least once a year for about the past 5 years. I enjoy reading blogs and I have great aspirations on starting an online journey that others will follow and look forward to the next post. Past attempts have been too narrowly focused, so that I loose interest in the topic, or cannot commit to the challenge I've set for myself up to fail. This blog will be more less structured, more free based, ranging from recently read books, things I love, travel, everything and anything is fair game. Hopefully you'll enjoy reading and will pass along to your friends.