december, time to remember

Well, how did we get to December again (I really feel like I just welcomed in 2013)? I swear the older I get the faster time seems to fly. I am very excited that in three weeks I'll be back to my family celebrating the holidays for a full week away from work, clearly the countdown is on. I hope everyone enjoyed the November holidays and are excited to wrap up the year with me over here.

london times

 

Goodness, it’s August already… where is the summer going? I’ve been working from London this past week, enjoying a bit of a break from the summer heat in good old New York. However, I missing some of the usual creature comforts my fair city offers – like air-conditioned subway travel. The grass is always greener they say. It’s been pretty nice though to be able to walk through new neighborhoods to get to work then my usual routine back home. The first morning,  I was walking through lovely old buildings and then came across this large, gated off building that was very odd looking where it was, my initial thoughts were oh is this a prison, but no it was the American Embassy – I should have known. Anyway hope you are having a lovely week dear readers, I am taking some photos to share with you next week, because it’s not all work but some play this week.

(photo from pinterest)

 

may flowers

Hello readers, it seems that I have fallen off the blogger-wagon once again. I feel like I go through little spells of just being busy or feeling that sense of writer's block when it comes to my blog. I definitely feel like I am out living life, just sort of ignoring something I do truly enjoy doing everyday. So, I am going to attempt to write something- anything every day in May, including those weekends that I typically say ehh whatever and go about my merry way. Maybe being diligent this month will renew my passion. I do hope you stick around for what should be a relative interesting month. Toodles!

January Round Up

Happy Last Day of the month lovelies. January was an interesting one for me, as someone who works in Finance, you still feel like you are looking at prior year for most of the first month. February really feels like the start of the new year for me – so I think I have to start celebrating Chinese New Year since it coincides with my personal calendar a bit better.  So some of my lovely game plans sort of started, and some took better than others as well as some are just picking up steam towards the end of the month. As they say in France, C'est La Vie. Here’s kind of a fun round up of what I did do, and what can be done better in February.

1.     Had a great weekend in Nashville (which I still have to get around to writing about some highlights)
2.   Celebrating my 31^st with a Cowboy theme – I highly recommend a themed birthday to everyone out there, you’re never too old for fun
3.   I got slightly addicted to a new training group, and now have signed up for a ton of the classes for February, and I cannot wait
4.   I read every single book in the “Percy Jackson and The Olympians” series – it made me feel about 14 years old, but I’ve already started on the next series
5.      I finally read my book for book club, only to have book club postponed until February (umm I could have read more Percy, so sad)
6.   Got an extra day with Norbs – due to a business trip. I love that little guy
7.  Completely failed at my goal of bringing my lunch to work – I made it 4 days – woo! Ok so this is on the list of things to do better in February

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)

defintion of summer madness

It's officially the dog days of summer- August always has me itchy for vacation. Last month I set some goals for the month -I didn't do so hot on my July list only about 3/5 - I fell off on the veggies and the movie (I guess that's not too awful). I liked putting my monthly list of things to do published for all to see - maybe it holds me accountable, maybe not. Here's the list for August:

1) Train for my 10k at the end of the month
2) Read the owner's manual for my new camera
3) Figure out a few places to visit in San Francisco
4) Send a postcard
5) Swim laps

(beagles from bing)

Tonight's another chance to start again

Bikes in Munich from a European adventure in 2009

Every year I try to come up with a list of obtainable resolutions - none of that will go to the gym every day. I just don't see the point of setting one's self up to fail - there can always be some lofty resolutions, but there has to be a path to get there. I decided to have five clear objectives in 2012.

1) Cook more - I was doing so well at different points of the past year trying to bake or create something in the kitchen, to varying degrees of success.  2012 is the year I will make time to spend in the kitchen learning how to make new things, and perfecting some old reliables.

2) Make a strong run at elite status on my airline miles this year.  This pretty much sums up to travel often this year, and so far I've got two trips planned for February alone, and few trips pending for late March and mid April. If I get some work trips in as well - back to London, this may be within reach.

3) Do more DIY projects. It's so easy just to buy new accessories for home or for fashion, that sometimes I forget how fun it is to make things by hand. I also forget how frustrating some DIY projects can be, but it definitely is fun to try new things.

4) Explore more of New York City. I spend almost every day in the city, yet I don't know many areas, nor have I spent nearly enough time exploring so many places.

5) Vacuum once a week. I hate cleaning the floors, it's time to embrace that they will not clean themselves and I am not likely to score a roomba anytime soon.