29 November 2010

Cyber Monday

I tried so hard to resist Cyber Monday, friends...
Welllllllll, to be honest, I made my first Cyber Monday purchase while laying in bed with a headache this morning.  But I had very good intentions!  I think I was downright restrained.. ;)

Ann Taylor Loft Long & Lean Cardigan

Ann Taylor Loft Scuba Jacket with Ruffle Hem (in black!)

Steve Madden Bruffler (I really love ruffles??)

And everything was on super sweet sale! How could I have resisted? Did you get any sweet deals today?  I love show & tell!
(And just btw, can we please appreciate Loft for NOT airbrushing out dumb things, like wrinkles in jeans?   Homegirl in the cardigan picture looks straight up SLOPPY by some catalog standards.)

28 November 2010

Belated

I'm so upset that I missed Things I Love Thursday last week!  I started writing the post on Monday because I knew I would be busy later in the week and I could just schedule it to post, but I never finished :( Wah.  To make it up, here are some lovely Christmas wishes & ideas (which really doubles as a Things I Love).

Phew. I've been eating so much and sleeping so little this week, today is my catch up day. Tomorrow is the first day of the very first Change Your Life Challenge, so I'll have to be back in the swing of things. For now - some shopping with my sister, reading for my second to last week of class (!), and an early bedtime.  How was your Thanksgiving?!

22 November 2010

End of Semester

I'm finishing my English credit requirements this semester which means that I have three final research papers and a unit plan to write - oyyy.  I'm the first to admit that I'm not always the most on-top-of-it person; I usually let the big things go until I have to do them, but I don't necessarily see this as the most appropriate way to function.  I had every intention of getting my papers under way in advance this semester, but surprise - it didn't happen.  So I have two and a half weeks until the first of my assignments is due and I'm still on page two (of 20!).  Not great - certainly nothing to celebrate - but it's a start.  Now the question is: how to make myself focus?  How to make myself bang out this paper before I have 24 hours left?


My favorite homework trick is setting a timer - usually just for 30 minutes - and making myself work straight through.  Texts, tweets, emails, phone calls?  Ignored.  I'll deal with it in 30 minutes!  If something crucial pops into my head (and this is obviously when my brain finds everything important), I'll write it down to take care of afterward.  After my 30 minutes are up, I usually take a short break and then re-focus.  I like using this most for reading assignments; no matter how boring something is, I can give it at least 30 minutes.

I recently started reading Leo Babauta's ebook "focus" at the recommendation of a blog friend and I have to say that while it might not be groundbreaking, it certainly is interesting!  Most of Leo's ideas seem to be like that - he's not reinventing the wheel, but he's saying something important, something that most of us seem to have forgotten.  I'd love to be able to give up email like Leo has, but that probably isn't realistic for me right now (if only my professors were on Twitter..!), so I'm using some of his other tips to help me focus on creating - in this case, creating critical analysis and lesson plans. :-?

What about you - are you a last-minute procrastinator or an on-schedule to-do list maker?  How do you keep yourself accountable for your work?  And what are your best focus and motivation tips?

21 November 2010

Quote of the Week

"Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable."
- Coco Chanel
Ever heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy, friends?  You are one!  That's why you have to stay like the Little Engine that Could... don't ever tell yourself that you can't, don't let doubt sneak in, because once you do, you're done for.

A wonderful, lovely, perfect, and HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY to Boyfriend!! ♥ ♥ ♥ I can't wait to see you, sir.

19 November 2010

Speaking of snow...

When does the WordPress snow start falling!? I'm impatient with snow-lust now!

Anticipating

I'm going to be moving back to the Mid West after I finish grad school in the spring so I've been trying to appreciate the things I love about the Northeast, in all seasons.  I woke up to snow on the ground and in the air this morning and knew that this would be my #1 Most Missed Experience.



I grew up on skis so winter has a special place in my heart.  Plus, snow is just so beautiful (and fun!). What do you love most about where you're from?

18 November 2010

TiLT #10

Right now I'm a little bit obsessed with my Former Life... 2008 wasn't my easiest year, but it was definitely one of my best: I started it off in Boston, moved back to New York, met Boyfriend, and began my first semester of grad school.  You'll forgive me if my TiLTs are a bit nostalgic or old school.


Pretzel M&M's ♥ I can never spell "pretzel" correctly the first time and I didn't even LIKE this candy the first time I tried it, but now I can't stop. They're the most perfect combination of salty and sweet and they are going to make me gain ten pounds.

Law & Order: SVU ♥ So addicting.  I'd never paid much attention to the Law & Order series or it's spinoffs, but Boyfriend got me hooked on SVU when I visited him in October.  I found all ten seasons on Netflix Instant and my new life goal is to watch every. single. episode.  Aw yeah.

Free time ♥ Not the time I waste procrastinating on a paper, or the extra hour of sleep I get because I'm avoiding reading for class. When everything is done and I can fluff up my pillows, light a candle, and read my book (or watch SVU ;) ).

Tretorn's "Skerry Vinter" boots ♥ I've lived in a snowy city for my entire life but haven't owned a decent pair of winter boots since I realized that the "duck boots" my parents kept making me wear were ugly.  Last winter I spent over $100 on a giant pair of Sorel boots, only to have them sit in the back of my closet, still in their box.  I finally convinced myself that just having winter boots wasn't enough - I needed winter boots that I would wear.  Enter Tretorn's Skerry boots.  They are adorable, reasonably priced rubber rain boots with a fuzzy lining and I highly recommend them.  Having waterproof feet is one of the best things that has ever happened to me!


Little Favorites ♥ My new header! ♥ Having a weekly schedule ♥ "Holiday" makeup - shimmery eyes and pretty pink lips ♥ Long morning walks that leave me comfortably sore ♥ New-to-me delicious foods (can you believe I hated hummus until recently!?) ♥ A warm bed and cozy lights at the end of a long day ♥ HP & The Deathly Hallows, part I ♥ The relief and blessing of good health ♥ Theme nights with my favorite girls ♥ Rediscovering Animal Crossing! (btw, does anyone have a DSi XL, and if so, please tell me that the graphics are better than the DS Lite) ♥ Mos Def for President ♥ Having something to look forward to ♥ The placebo effect ♥ NaNoWriMo ♥ Guilt-less spending ♥ Reading for pleasure ♥ The first ever Change Your Life Challenge - comment on Monica's post to join the email group! ♥

I'm so glad to be back. :D

17 November 2010

Hi friends

I'm back.

I know.. I'd lost hope too. I didn't want to blog and didn't see myself wanting to blog in the future, either. But sometimes we need reminders to help us focus on the good things (and the pretty things!) when we're overwhelmed with the bad.  So I'll be here tomorrow with a mess of happy, pretty things for Things I Love Thursday.  In the meantime, is anyone even still reading?