Saying Goodbye

It's a new season of life

Dear Friend,

It's time for me to let go.

July held some big goodbyes for me. Goodbye to an apartment I loved. Goodbye to a person I loved. And after three years, I finally said goodbye to a dress I loved.

My wedding dress.

It was exactly what I wanted. Sparkly. Elegant. Feminine. Princessy. On clearance. (You know how I love a good deal) After losing 20 pounds during my engagement, I went through several rounds of alterations to give it the perfect fit. I loved that dress. I felt like the most beautiful bride in the world.

Photo by Fleur de Lis Photography

I wish I could say the beautiful dress was the beginning of a beautiful happily-ever-after marriage. But I let go of that too. (read more here)

When packing up my apartment to move in with new friends in a new part of the city, I decided it was time to let go of the dress and all it represented. It was time for me to embrace the closure. I couldn't justify continuing to carry it around with me from place to place anymore when all it did was remind me of broken promises and dead dreams. So, I pulled it out of the closet and set it with the other items I was leaving behind. But not before wearing it one last time. I couldn't believe it still fit -- a little too tight perhaps, or maybe it was just my heart inside my chest that was tight. I donated it to Goodwill the next day, which ironically would have been my third wedding anniversary.

The love of a dress

My best friend recently told me that getting to know yourself when you're alone after you say these kind of goodbyes is a beautiful thing. I'm finally starting to see that. I'm starting to look at myself differently than before. What I want has changed. And what I want is to stop blogging.

I started blogging for reasons that are no longer relevant. I work days and more hours per week than before. I make less money but dress better than before. I still want to explore the city but not through the screen of my phone as I snap pictures and think of how to share them through social media to maximize clicks. I still want to explore my creative side but only for myself like I used to when I journaled and wrote poems and songs and other random things.

What I'm saying, I suppose, is I want to live my life for me right now in a different way than before and to do that I need to say goodbye to you.

Thank you for reading, commenting and supporting me. I'll still be on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter but I'm closing the book now on this blog and this chapter of my life.

Love, love.

Get up, get down

Musical Mondays

Enjoying sunshine, music and friends at The Capitol Hill Block Party with these gorgeous gals!

Maybe it's because Saturday night I was riding on my friend's shoulders waving my arms in the air during a Chromeo concert at The Capitol Hill Block Party, but music has consumed my mind for the last two days. I can't get enough of it.

Today, the song in my head is "Coffee" by Sylvan Esso. It's got a chill, slow-driving beat and I love her simple, strong voice. Check it out below!

What are you listening to today? Share it in the comments below or join our link-up party!

Creating strength

I did it.

My most recent hike

Every day last week I woke up around 5:30 a.m., grabbed water, a towel and a yoga mat and drove to Belltown to get my butt kicked by Jenn at For The Glow. The week-long bootcamp was challenging, painful and extremely rewarding.

With a mix of strong Glow Flow workouts and two days of intense Epic Cardio, every muscle in my body was sore at one point or another. The highlight for me was actually the most difficult. I woke up on Thursday dreading the Epic Cardio workout I knew would involve lots of running, which isn't something I do. Running makes me feel like I'm dying. My chest hurts, I can barely breathe and it's just all-around awful. Then I arrived at the Sculpture Park where we were meeting that day and saw this beautiful view.

The Sculpture Park in Seattle

Before the class, I emailed Jenn and told her how I was pretty much the worst runner in the world and was nervous about the workout. She gave me tips on how to get an effective workout without pushing myself to a bad point. I felt prepared. When the group had to jog around the park, I followed right alongside them. When we had to run for a minute and sprint for 20 seconds, I did that too and interspersed a couple short breaks. The last part was the hardest: Sprints followed by Frog Jumps up a set of long stairs. Oh my gosh you guys. Frog Jumps are the worst. Ouch. I finished two sets and my legs said, "Nope." I took a rest then completed one more. Boom.

I really enjoyed my time with the Glow group. The women were of all ages, sizes and different levels of athleticism. It was a very fun and encouraging environment -- oh and the soundtracks to the Glow Flow workouts were amazing! I'd highly recommend For The Glow if you're a woman in the Seattle area looking for not just a great and different workout routine but also an embracing community that will help you reach your goals.

My goal was simply to finish the bootcamp. Every morning I woke up and thought about skipping, but I wanted to be stronger than that. Strength doesn't just happen, you have to work at it. You have to create it. Finishing the boot camp was a good start for me.

On to the next one.

Getting my Glow on

Going for it

Have you ever done a fitness boot camp?

I never thought I could handle one until now. A few weeks ago, I saw a tweet from Jenn at For The Glow inviting Seattle bloggers to participate in a week-long Blogger Boot Camp July 14-18. After spending many evenings and weekend mornings at the gym over the last three months, I decided I am ready. I am going for it, you guys. I'll report back at the end of the week.

Wish me luck!

Birchbox June 2014

Away We Go! June Birchbox

Loving the lipstain

Cynthia Rowley Beauty - Creamy Lip Stain "Valentine"

Upon realizing my July Birchbox will arrive in one week, I thought I should probably catch you all up on what goodies I received in June! The theme was "Away We Go"with samples of items you would want to take with you on your summer getaway. Here are my thoughts on what was included:

• Cynthia Rowley Beauty - Creamy Lip Stain "Valentine." Remember the silver eyeliner I loved in April's Birchbox? This month I got a sample of their long-wearing lipstain. I never heard of Cynthia Rowley Beauty before Birchbox and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite lines. The lipstain is shiny like a gloss without being sticky and lightly (or darkly depending on how heavy your application) colors your lips. My favorite item this month!
• The Aloe Source - Vitamin C Antioxidant Creme. The best thing about this antioxidant-rich hydrating creme is the yummy smell of oranges and aloe. My skin felt smooth and happy after application -- especially after a day in the sun.

Antica Farmacista body wash, Evologie face cleanser, Phylo hair serum

• Antica Farmacista - Bermagot & Ocean Aria Body Wash. I took the body wash with me on my most recent trip home to see my family. It is made with sweet almond oil. I wish I could say it smelled great or was super moisturizing; but this body wash was not a standout in any way. Pass.
• Evologie - Stay Clear Cleanser. I enjoyed using this nondrying, blemish-fighting face wash. It lathered well, rinsed easily and left my face feeling clean, not slick or tight.
• Phyto - Phytolisse Ultra-Glossing Finishing Serum. This silky serum is great for taming flyaways, boosting shine and calming frizz. I put it in my hair after towel-drying and it helped my hair stay smooth and manageable all day. My favorite thing about the serum is it didn't weigh down my hair or make it feel greasy. Great product!

Do you subscribe to Birchbox? Tell me what you thought about your products!

Sun in Seattle

Colors and prints

Thanks for the photo LH!

This outfit is a product of practicality. Last week was so hot, yes hot, and I'm the only girl in the world without a maxi dress so I opted for a fun print bodycon skirt (hand-me-down from N) and a ruffled tank top I bought at F21 years and years ago.

Problem: The building I work in is cold. Solution: A bright-colored shrug.

Boom. I love when I can pull together a cute outfit with things I've had forever.

For accessories, I wore a belt from a shirt I bought at JC Penny a long time ago but never wear anymore, a Simply Vera by Vera Wang necklace via Kohl's, and three special bracelets.

Little bit of bling

Let me tell you about my bracelets. The first, the snake one, I bought at Buffalo Exchange in Ballard two weekends ago. It broke not long after I took this picture. One of the snake heads popped right off. What the heck, Buffalo Exchange?

In the middle is a "strength" bracelet given to me by one of my dearest friends. I wore it while testifying at a trial, when I was secretly terrified but refused to let the defense attorney see any sign of weakness. I wore it to a job interview. I wore it to my first day at work. In general, I tend to wear it when I need a little reminder that I'm strong.

The third is in memory of a friend of mine who passed away during heart surgery two days before my birthday in 2012. It says, "Friendship is the thread that ties us together." Sometimes it's nice to see the bracelet on my wrist and think of her, her infectious smile, fun-loving personality and tenaciousness.

It looks like today will be another day of sunshine! I hope you enjoy it.

10 songs stuck in my head

Wanna get inside my head?

My musical taste is on the random side. For example, first thing this morning I was singing the theme song from "Saved by the Bell" and quickly switched over to Sesame Street songs (I'm currently hanging out with my 1-year-old niece). I haven't written about it much here, aside from professing my love of Kate Nash, so I thought I'd give you a glimpse of what plays in my head throughout the day. 

Here are 10 songs that were stuck in my head on Wednesday:

*warning: song contains potentially offensive lyrics so listen with adult ears only

1. Dark Horse by Katy Perry

Stuck in my head while I brush my teeth

2. Just Askin' by Iggy Azalea

Stuck in my head while I walk to the bus stop and wait for my bus to arrive*

3. They Want You by Lissie

Stuck in my head while I plug things into a spreadsheet at work

4. West Coast by Lana Del Ray

Stuck in my head while I eat strawberries at my desk

5. Uptown Anthem by Naughty by Nature

Stuck in my head while I write a report (p.s. this is one of my favorite songs ever)*

6. Heartbreaker by Pat Benatar

Stuck in my head while I read emails

7. Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Stuck in my head while I ride the bus home

8. I Wanna Be Bad by Willa Ford

Stuck in my head while I get ready to head out to Woodsky's to watch the Mariners game

9. Talk Dirty to Me by Jason Derulo

Stuck in my head while I sit at Woodsky's watching basketball after the M's game ended*

10. Foundations by Kate Nash

Stuck in my head while I play around on my phone before going to bed

What's stuck in your head?

Linking up for Musical Mondays!