Today's Reason to Smile ~ Beautiful Berkeley!

On the way home yesterday, I was struck by the sun sparkling in this creek.  I've walked across the bridge that spans this little trickle of water on the UCB campus hundreds of times.  I love walking through this part of the campus where some of the oldest redwoods in CA call home.

    

I realize that I complain about being in CA a lot.  Maybe not here on the blog, but in real life, I do.  Its hard to be thousands of miles from family, from some of my dearest friends, and right now, my best friend since childhood & her adorable new baby!

But I have to remember that I'm here for a reason and for a season.  Its hard feeling exiled to this far away land sometimes, but I know that I'm doing what I need to do out here.

And sometimes, like last Friday night, I have an opportunity to do something that helps fall in love with being out here and doing this doctoral program all over again.  Such as helping out for a fundraising event for a wonderful organization (CARE) at a beautiful home with a magnificent view.  PLUS, get compensated for taking stunning photos!

Today's Reason to Smile ~ Happy St. Patrick's Day!

There are so many things right in this picture on my Saint Patrick's Day Morning.

I'm rockin' out my layered gold necklaces from Rocksbox.

I'm seriously owning some green eye shadow & eye liner from Bare Minerals.

My hair is actually behaving thanks to the art of reading instructions on a hair oil I was reviewing the night before . . . and my skin is happily glowing thanks to Radha's Argan Oil and Cremo's Face Wash & Moisturizer.

PLUS, I am holding a golden mug filled with Moustache Coffee.

But the best part is that I FREAKING REMEMBERED TO WEAR SOMETHING GREEN on Saint Patrick's Day!!

I just don't own very many green items.  I never, ever have.  As a small child, I was the epitome of the girly-girl . . . except that I wasn't afraid to skin my knees when running or riding on my bike in my frilly dresses (no really, they had lace; they were frilly).

My favorite color was of course pink, and this was back before pink & green were cute.  There were no cute combinations of pink & green in the 1980s.  To make matters worse, I could never remember to wear green on St. Patrick's Day, and I was subjected to the constant pinching of my compatriots throughout elementary school.

So, today's reason to smile is remembering to wear green! 

#TodaysReasonToSmile ~ My Sweet Puppy Dog!

So, I've had a pretty crappy day today.  I woke up fine, and then when I stood up from working on my computer to get ready to walk the dog, it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Nothing felt right.

The world seemed like it had shifted a bit to the left.

And my head didn't feel totally connected to the rest of me.

All day today I've had to wait out the vertigo and dizziness.

Finally admitting defeat, I sent out email apologies for my absences at meetings today, piled up some pillows, crawled into bed, and rested propped up against the mountain of squishiness.   And you know who snuggled with me for the next four hours while I slept it off?  My sweet Barley-Dog.

So, today's reason to smile is dedicated to a pup who definitely ought to rank in the top 100 of the sweetest dogs in the world.

Enjoy the precious pictures!

 Barley keeping me company while I write my comps.

 Barley cuddling with his favorite person - the hubby.

 Barley expresses how much he missed his favorite person one afternoon by crawling into his lap and promptly melting.

 Barley waits patiently for morning walk time.

Barley very sweetly asks to for morning walks when I oversleep one morning.

Today's Reason to Smile: Barley-Dog!

also known as Nurse Dog, BatDog, Cuddle-Buddy, Bathroom Mat Crumpler, and Enemy of the Skateboard

#TodaysReasonToSmile

Today's reason to smile comes at the very end of my day.  

Hubby knows my anxiety has been high lately with new job, comps, and other changes.  The past week he's been doing a great job of checking in about my anxiety level, what I can do to help reduce it, and what he can do to make it easier for me to accomplish those things.  

Because my depression usually raises its ugly head as a result of my anxiety spiraling out of control, I really appreciate him helping me to be aware of how high or low it is at the beginning and end of the day.  

Tonight while we were out walking the dog, he checked in with me as usual.  He supported my decision to get ready for sleep when we got upstairs and even offered to make me decaffeinated tea to help me settle down for the night.  

Its really nice feeling sleepy before 2AM! 

So, today's reason to smile is having a supportive partner who will make me tea!

Today is International Women's Day ~ My Thoughts + How to Plug In!

Beauty is more than skin deep, and an issue that impacts us all as human beings.  We long to be seen as the beautiful creations we are.  We ought to be treating one another in ways that celebrate each human being's unique beauty.  This world is filled with beautiful people who treat others and are treated by others in truly ugly ways, which is why we need days like International Women's Day.

My contribution to the conversation is a short piece on feminism, which I hope you will read.  Additionally, I encourage you to take part of International Women's Day today, March 8th via links at the bottom of the post!  

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As a self-proclaimed feminist, I embrace today and the message about the importance of gender equality.  I do not understand feminism to be something that is anti-men/ anti-male.  Rather, for me, feminism is the desire to see the end of oppression within human relationships.

I understand patriarchal ways in which society functions to be equally detrimental for women and men.  As a brief example, demands upon men to be the "bread-winners" holds them to standards that are, by and large, completely unreasonable in today's economy.  The expectation that men always go to work can stifle the desires of those fathers who want to be stay-at-home-dads!  

The fact that women across the board are paid less than their male counterparts is inherently problematic.  Especially in our US society where one of the ways in which a human being's worth is determined is by the size of their paycheck, our economy declares that women are less valuable than men.  This is one of many variables that create situations in which women are marginalized in our capitalist economy.  Pair the reality of women with the reality of persons of color and we end up with a situation in which those who are the most vulnerable in our society are women of color.  Even within women's struggle for equality, our struggle is not equal.  It is imperative that women continue to lift one another up, even across political, socio-economic and racial boundaries.  It is only together that we can continue the dialogue.  Action requires communication.  Both require mutual understanding and a willingness to work together toward a mutual goal.  I hope that today is a day in which the complexities of the struggle for equality are lifted to the surface just as the need for equality itself is highlighted across the world.

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I've included lots of logos and links to various ways to connect with today's celebration!  May today be beautiful for you!

Today we celebrate the role of women in our international communities while reminding ourselves and the rest of the world of the need for equality!

#MakeItHappen

#PaintItPurple

PLUS, Tune in for an Amazing Presentation by Emma Watson as part of Celebrating International Womene's Day for a HeForShe and Gender Equality Conversation Live on Facebook!

I hope that you've found a way to plug in, participate, and be inspired to #MakeItHappen; we all need to work toward a greater awareness of gender equality!

Today's Reason to Smile: A Storage Solution!

Since I started blogging and reviewing products, my apartment began overflowing with all kinds of glass bottles of serums, plastic bottles of moisturizers, bags of sea salts, and other goodies.

Hubby and I live in a one-bedroom apartment.  In order to make this small space work, we have a rule: "Something comes in, something else goes out."  Well, you know I had to side-step that rule.  So, I needed a storage solution!

I found this great retro-style, turquoise rolling cart at Ikea for the perfect price!

I have totally fallen in love with this cart.  The shelves have high enough sides to keep everything in place!  I can roll this little baby from the bathroom to my desk in the living room for videos and back.  It holds everything - makeup, skin care, bath stuff, nail stuff, etc.  

So, Today's Reason to Smile is a beautiful, useful, and frugal Retro Turquoise Cart!

Todays Reason to Smile: Articles about Loving Your Body!

Within the past week, I came across two different articles that really spoke to my heart, and I want to share them with you!

Being Thin Didn't Make Me Happy, But Being "Fat" Does

Contributed by Joni Edelman I 02.18.15 1:37am

How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love My 185-Pound Body

by Nikki Gloudeman | 02.17.15 2:14am

I am thankful that there are more women writing about loving themselves, and their bodies, in ways that are not connected to the number of calories, the number on our jeans, the number on our bras.  I appreciate the central message of both of these articles: happiness is not inherently linked to a smaller waist size.

Now, until recently I've always been thin.  Of course I have had my issues with body images, they are not the same as the women in the stories above.  In college, I was the designated "skinny friend" who always sat in the b*tch seat (you know, the middle seat of the back!)  I have usually listened to my body about its wants and needs.  Although I have struggled with emotional eating in the past few months, I am cognizant of my habits.  I have a skinny-girl attitude loving my more curvy body.  

That said, I find compelling stories of women who are learning to accept themselves.  For me, part of self-acceptance is loving our bodies.  That doesn't mean we don't want them to be healthier; it means we love them where they are right now.  Why can't we love our bodies into health rather than shaming them into health?

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I recently went to a hosted meal at a restaurant for a team meeting of a start-up organization for which I have been asked to serve as a consultant.  

The host is an extremely health conscious gentleman.  Sitting next to him, with his veggie burger and water, I struggled to feel comfortable ordering the coconut shrimp with sweet & spicy sauce that I had been craving for days.  I noticed that I even had to make the excuse for ordering this amazing fried, sweet, deliciousness: "I just love food too much."  

I was not alone; a woman across the table commented on the fact that the restaurant serves wonderful milkshakes.  She then decided that she "really shouldn't" order one.  Another woman and I both asked, "Why not?"  Of course, we already knew the answer: a milkshake does not equal thin.

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I think that part of the reason I resonate with body-affirming, curve-loving stories from women is that they fight against the never-ending barrage of body shaming images, words, expectations, attitudes, and other social cues that we all face on a weekly, daily, hourly basis.

For the first time since I was 23, I am happy with my body.  I am happy with my wardrobe.  I am enjoying these new-found curves!  Yes, I realize that I need to take care of my body.  But I also need to take care of the rest of me - I am more than numbers.  

I wish that our conversations about weight, size, and health could be more about what we want and less about what we should.  As long as we allow ourselves to use the "I shouldn't" motto, we don't really allow ourselves the opportunity to consider what we truly desire.

If I really desire those crunchy sweet bites of delectable shrimp, then by golly, I'm going to order them!  But, maybe, what I truly desire is just something sweet!  Something sweet doesn't have to be fried.  It could be fruit!  If I'm so caught up with telling myself I shouldn't order the coconut shrimp, its harder to stop and ask myself, why do I want that?  Asking myself the question, allows a wider exploration of my own desires.

Now, I'm not talking about attending a therapy session to decide what you want to eat at a restaurant.  All of this can happen internally in a matter of moments.  Its just about taking the time and being self-aware!

I wonder what would happen for our health and our ability to love ourselves if it started with listening to what we actually desire?

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So, today's reason to smile: We are all beautiful, and we all can be happy with ourselves.  It doesn't have to be in the same way!

Today's Reason to Smile: First Day of the New Job!

The first day on a new job is always a bit nerve-wracking.  My first day of work in the Communications Department started with me playing photographer at an event at the GTU!

So, I had to think about wearing comfortable, professional clothing in which I could move!  I came up with loafers, cuffed boyfriend jeans, and a button-up shirt with totally adorable blue birds on it.  Then I paired it with some sparkly earrings!  I got two thumbs up from Hubby!

So, I felt good!  But even better, I got to take my toy out of the case and take it for a whirl for the first time in a while.  It was so much fun!

Today's Reason to Smile: Feeling Great & Having Fun on the first day on the job!

Today's Reason to Smile: A New Job!

Last week I posted this look as Part #3 of my Foray into Fashion.  

Well, that day I was headed to an interview in the Communications Department at the Graduate Theological Union (where I'm doing my doctoral work)!

I am really excited to share that I got the job!  Its a part-time position as Communications Assistant.  I am seriously excited about the opportunity to participate in the life and presentation of the GTU.  Plus, I think that some of the skills I gained through blogging will come in handy!  

So, I met some of my team members and supervisors on Tuesday.  I'll start on Thursday afternoon!  Yay!

So, today's reason to smile is: A New Job!

Today's Reason to Smile: Having Enough!

  I love springtime in the Bay!










Everything comes to life with just a few drops of rain!

After months of the land looking dry and brown, it bursts into life!





  Vibrant colors everywhere!




These flowers don't care that there's a drought ravaging across N. California.  

All they know is that there is enough.  Enough water.  Enough sun.  Enough soil.  Enough warmth.  They have enough for life.  

So, today's reason to smile is having enough.

Today's Reason to Smile!

So, I'm going to start a new series of posts entitled #TodaysReasontoSmile.  There are so many times that there are moments in my day that make me smile  So, I'm going to start putting them together to share my smiles with you!

Today is a beautiful day in the East Bay!  The sun is shining and the skies are so blue!  I loved how the sun was coming through the new leaves on this tree by my apartment.

In fact, I shot the picture above on the way to my leasing office to pick up a package.  I thought I knew what it was, but I was (happily) wrong!  This time it wasn't a package of products for review; instead, it was a surprise from one my besties!

Ms. Inspired & Inspiring has been doing wonderfully healthy things for her body and soul!  I am so proud of her journey toward health.  In turn, she celebrates that I am in a place of accepting my current weight, so she sent along some clothes that no longer work for her, but should work for me.  It was like Christmas Time in the Laughing Scholar Apartment this morning!  I have several new pairs of pants that look amazing!  

So, #todaysreasontosmile is for beautiful weather and beautiful friends!