Happy Thought of the Day...

Up 2...

A month! A month! I've been absent a month. Granted, I was in the "Most Magical Place on Earth!" for 9 days of that and it is holiday season, readers, so I've been shuttled to and fro entertaining and being entertained by the masses.

Here's what I've been doing, in visual form:

Journaling (the entire collection below -I'm on volume 3/9):

Taking the fam to the Most Magical Place on Earth:

Researching Bunk Beds for the Little Man's room makeover:

I stumbled onto this bad boy (Pinterest), which will eat up chunks of time like a hungry monster:

And finally, if you don't do anything else for the rest of the year, at least stop and take a listen to Sleeping at Last, which is a band I wonder how I lived without. They did a comprehensive collection of EP's of 3 songs/month to create a 36 song "Yearbook," each with their own artistic covers and the music is EXCELLENT. Life-changing, really.... (www.sleepingatlast.com)

Have a great pre-holidays break, friends! By the way, where's the snow, Wisconsin???

A Sabbatical, A Hiatus...or as the Locals Say, a Break...

Sorry, folks (if there are enough of you out there that I can use that word liberally), I kinda disappeared. I've been busy (excuses, excuses), but I've also put a lot of value in my quest to maintain the written word. I am a huge, huge journal keeper. I used to have those cheesy journals in middle schools, with the key, where I would talk about how much I crushed on boy X and how I wish boy Y would notice me. In my college and adult years, they've morphed into something more. They're genuinely time capsules, moments in time where you can look back and see exactly how you felt about something; see the emotion in the way you were writing, the quotes you listed, the song you were listening to.

When I first moved to Milwaukee in the fall of 2003, I bought a large, red bound journal. I thought at the time that I would just write and write and fill it. It's massive. I wrote for awhile, got bored and life happened and I found myself logging short updates on life (baby, marriage, etc) and not really exploring the human emotion that journaling sometimes helps emote. So, in a quest to get back into the swing of things, I purchased a three pack of black Moleskine journals and titled each of them (The Journey, Home and Time) In case I was struggling on a particular day or in a week to write an update, I could reflect on my thoughts on the subject at the time. It's been working brilliantly, I've maintained my inspired writing and I feel like I could title a thousand journals and still keep writing.

So, as much as I love to blog and as fast as it to type away, I don't want to disembark from my original journey to capture the little snapshots of life through a pen and paper.....but don't fret, I will remain on here with my musings. You just don't get to read my journals...

R.I.P. Steve Jobs

I was going to write a great post tonight, as I sat down with my cup of coffee and some RHONJ to tide me over until the Brewer game. But then I got the news alert: Steve Jobs had died. I know this will be THE story for awhile, and it should be. Apple fan or not, you can never deny what that man and his company have done for huge advances in technology. Like Pixar movies? Thank Steve Jobs for being a early investor and huge supporter of the computer based animation they were doing in the 80's.

He was one of the ultimate quirky people, someone I've come to admire. I jumped on the Apple bandwagon in 2005. I bought my first iPod (2nd Gen!) Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. Shortly after, during that spring, I bought my first laptop, a iBook G4. It's now almost 7 years later and I'm writing to you from that same laptop today. I've never had a problem with it. No viruses, no malfunctions and although the OS is outdated, it still works like a new computer. Since then, my family has become an Apple product family. As I write this, I have my iPhone next to me, and my son isn't far away with our family iPad. Over the years, I've really become an Apple geek and I'm proud of it. None of that would be possible without someone willing to believe in a dream, and Steve Jobs did that.

The tech world will mourn his loss for awhile. There were plenty of people who freaked out when he stepped down as CEO this year, so this loss will be felt for awhile. The question is still on a lot of people's minds: Can Apple exist is as it is today without Steve Jobs? For years, they'd been synonymous. The bi-annual Apple meeting with Jobs in his standard blue jeans and black turtleneck and round glasses. He was his own person and proud of who he was and what he built.

We will mourn the man, the vision and the legend.

Best. Sports. Weekend....EVER!

I am a HUGE sports fan. I am totally the "guy" of my relationship. I could have a cold beer, some chips and dip and a weekend of sports and I'll be a happy camper. This weekend was no exception.

We were lucky enough to be able to go to the NLDS-Game 1 (Brewers vs. Diamondbacks), and that was an amazing experience. We won 4-1 and it was just a beautiful day for baseball. Here are some great pics of the day:

Axford running out to save the day....and the game :)

MVP Candidate Ryan Braun...

Bernie Brewer, getting the crowd going...

Best sign ever :)

To cap off the weekend, the Packers won big at home over the Denver Broncos and the Brewers won the 2nd game of the NLCS 9-4. My nerves were shot by the end of the day yesterday. Thank god I have good neighbors that know I like to yell at the TV and don't call the police. Brewers resume Game 3 tomorrow night at Arizona, and if we win this one, we move on to the NLDS vs. TBD (either the Phillies or the Cardinals). Man, I love fall.....

Happy New Year!

I know, you're all thinking I'm off my gourd, it's September, right? Well beginning tonight at sundown, Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) begins a 10-day series of very holy days in the Jewish faith. This begins the year 5772, and while it's not as traditionally festive as the New Year's we've all come to love or hate, there is great celebration in having another year under our belts.

What I love about these days is the philosophy behind them. Between Rosh Hashanah (New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), you are responsible for making amends, for "cleaning out your closet" of all the bad things you've done, the people you've hurt, the anger you hold on to. Many people reach out to each other in these days, to try and right the wrongs. As the belief goes, if you do this, you'll be added to the "good" book for the year to come, which, let's face it, who wants to be in the bad book?

There's just such a positive message with this. While traditional New Years has become more about parties and resolutions, I feel like Rosh Hashanah is more about bettering yourself by working with others, working on your relationships, working on your self. I can't think of a better time, as fall approaches, to think about the "death" of all the resentment and anger I hold onto and the "birth" and refreshing of a new year.

So, L'Shana Tova! And may you find peace with yourself and with others...

It Will Rain...

If you know me in real life, you know how I'm addicted to good music, especially good lyrics. The more haunting the song, the better. I was excited to see that the first single off the Twilight Saga-Breaking Dawn, Part 1 Soundtrack was Bruno Mars' "It Will Rain," which I have discovered as an amazingly written, haunting song.......

The Song:

The Lyrics:

If you ever leave me, baby,
Leave some morphine at my door
‘Cause it would take a whole lot of medication
To realize what we used to have,
We don’t have it anymore.

There’s no religion that could save me
No matter how long my leaves are on the floor
So keep in mind all the sacrifices I’m makin’
Will keep you by my side
Will keep you from walkin’ out the door.

Cause there’ll be no sunlight
if I lose you, baby
There’ll be no clear skies
if I lose you, baby
Just let the clouds, my eyes will do the same if you walk away
Everyday, it will rain

I’ll never be your mother’s favorite
Your daddy can’t even look me in the eye
Oooh if I was in their shoes, I’d be doing the same thing
Sayin there goes my little girl
walkin’ with that troublesome guy

But they’re just afraid of something they can’t understand
Oooh well little darlin’ watch me change their minds
Yea for you I’ll try I’ll try I’ll try
I’ll pick up these broken pieces ’til I’m bleeding
That’ll make you mine

Cause there’ll be no sunlight
if I lose you, baby
There’ll be no clear skies
if I lose you, baby
Just like the clouds, my eyes will do the same if you walk away
Everyday, it will rain

I’ll do the same
goodbye, don’t just say, goodbye
I’ll pick up these broken pieces ’til I’m bleeding
That’ll make it right

Cause there’ll be no sunlight
if I lose you, baby
There’ll be no clear skies
if I lose you, baby
Just like the clouds, my eyes will do the same if you walk away
Everyday, it will rain

Relax

What do you do to relax? To me, a trip to the family cabin is always the best bet for "recharging your batteries" as my boss says. There's something that I still really appreciate about the crisp, fresh Northern Wisconsin air, and it's the act of returning home that always warms your heart. I miss it so much. I've been trying for awhile to look for jobs up there, but nothing has been worth leaving my current position for. I always thought that I would love living and raising a family in the city, but the more I see my son play outside at our cabin, the more I wish he had woods, or at least a bigger yard to run around in.

Being from Northern Wisconsin, I feel like it's something I was somehow bothered by when I was in college and grad school. But as life got more stressful and I need that solace, I realized all the amazing things I was taking for granted. Things are just different up there, and I don't say that in a bad way. It's slower, cleaner, fresher, cheaper, and it's home. There's no way to escape the beautiful turning of the fall leaves, or the fresh snow on the pine trees. I just love nature, and I want that for my son. . .

Lake Metonga, Crandon WI

Wolf River-Around the bend from the Cabin

My favorite drive...Hwy 55

So I guess the moral of this is that you should embrace who you are, where you're from and all the things of your past. I think the harder you run from something, the more you deny it and walk away from it, the more you yearn for it and the more it really feels like home.

Fun Fall Things...

I love fall! For anyone that knows me, I have a wardrobe of basis staples. I like neutral, basic colors (black, grey, tan) and the staples (jeans, black pants, black sweaters/shirts). What I really love is accessories. I can't get enough of them. I don't wear a lot of bright colors or patterns, so accessories are my chance to express myself and let my flair show. Every season, I like to pick up a couple pieces to spice up my existing clothes to help ring in that season. Here are a couple things I love for fall:

Blowfish Hodah Shoes
$39.00
www.blowfishshoes.com

TOMS
Camel Cords
$54.00
www.toms.com

Forever 21
Faceted Dome Ring
$2.80
www.forever21.com

Forever 21
Striped Floral Scarf
$8.80
www.forever21.com

Blowfish and TOMS are my absolute favorite shoe brands. If I could survive off of those two alone, I would. So comfy! And I love to get my accessories at cheaper places like Forever 21 and H&M, because they're always on point with what's "in," but it's also priced right, so you don't feel bad spending $30.00 there, because you're getting a ton of stuff!

Who Doesn't Love the Muppets?

I grew up watching the Muppets, and I adore them. Trying to pick a favorite Muppet is like trying to pick a favorite child. I can't wait to bring my son to the new Muppet movie, out at Thanksgiving....

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44625932/ns/today-entertainment/#.Tntr_-zigpg

How cool has their marketing campaign been? Their parodies of movie trailers have been spot-on!

Welcome to Quirky in Wisconsin!

Ah, the decision to blog. I think discovering www.hellogiggles.com has inspired me to share my quirky, crazy life. I am really a complex woman... my best friend (also my ex) called me unique last week and I took it as a total compliment. I am unique, and I want to make that okay for everyone. Not everyone has to fit into a mold of being one label or the other. When people ask who I hung out with in high school, I say everyone, because I did! I didn't want to just be the student council geek, the good student, the drama kid, the track star. I wanted to be friends with everyone because I value the person, not what they're interested in.

So here I am...inspired to start a lifestyle blog and see where it takes me....I'll comment on my life, what I like to do, see, wear, cheer for, love, appreciate, loathe and support. I want whomever reads this to be inspired to be who they are, even if according to society, those interests conflict with each other...

So rock out to who you are....I'm Quirky in Wisconsin... who are you?