A Song for Friday

I've decided that on Friday's I'm going to get back to one of my great loves - music and lyrics. I'm going to share a song a lyric from the week that made me stop and think. I've always found there is incredible power in music - a song I've heard a million times can come on and a melody or line of lyric can make me stop everything and reevaluate my day or something that happened.

What did you listen to this week? And did anything you heard make you stop for a minute?


"There's no choice at all if I don't make my move." David Wilcox - Hold it Up to the Light Pin It

Just Do It

Thanks for all your ideas on how to get my blogging motivation back - I'm still struggling, but I'm determined to put your advice to work - and I'm starting by just doing it. I'm going to blog and get myself back into the habit. Pushing through even when it doesn't come easy. I'm hoping if I do the ideas, inspiration and joy I found in blogging will come pouring back to me.

I started by making a list of the reason I love blogging and what has kept me going for 4 years.

• It's an easy way to keep a journal of my life and travels (the reason I started blogging in the first place.) I love going back and reading about my time in Delhi and I'm sure down the road I'll be glad to have a record of my time in Istanbul.
• It's a fun way to keep my friends and family up to date with where I am and to share my experiences.
• It's a great way to make and build relationships with people who share my interests in travel, photography and music.
• It gives me a creative outlet - something my job can sometimes lack - and having that outlet makes life more beautiful and more rewarding.

Why do you blog? What reasons did I leave out?

Since you were so great with advice on getting back to blogging, I can't help but put another question out there....I'm trying to teach myself Lightroom 4 (my first experience with LR) and it isn't coming easy. Any recommendations on tutorials, classes, etc? What I've learned so far I love, but I feel like I'm not even scratching the surface. I'm particularly interested in developing a great workflow to speed my processes up so I can spend more time taking photos and blogging and less time editing.

You will love me for introducing you to this lovely song, David Myles: I Will Love You

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Lost Mojo

I seem to have lost my blogging mojo... I took a break so I could keep up at work, and then because I was on vacation and now I'm struggling to get back in the swing of things. What did you do the last time your mojo went missing?

If you've already seen the Hunger Games - don't rub it in. I finished the books two weeks ago so I'd be ready to see the movie - but just my luck I left for Istanbul a couple of days before it came out so I'm going to have to wait a month to see it. I have, however, managed to track down the soundtrack. It is full of some of my favorites, including this track from The Secret Sisters, Tomorrow Will be Kinder.

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Here I Go Again

Yesterday I carefully packed my bags, said my goodbyes and headed to the airport.

After four hours I was back home with a new set do tickets to try the whole thing over again today. Luckily they found the mechanical problem before we were in the air and I got stuck at home instead of mid-trip.

I'd liked to say things are looking better today, but my flight is already delayed an hour, putting my connections at risk, so Dallas and London friends, I could be dropping you a line if things don't go as planned I wouldn't mind a chance to catch up.

UPDATE: I am still in Salt Lake - the delay got worse and I missed all my connections, so instead of flying and getting stuck in Dallas they sent me home to try again tomorrow. Fingers crossed the third time is lucky.

In the meantime, I'll enjoy some music and people watching. When I typed the title of this post a song instantly jumped into my head and is still playing, Whitesnake's Here I Go Again. Pin It

A Day at the Museum

Way back before my vacation I shared some of the details of my slumber party with my niece, but because I'm an equal opportunity aunt, I decided I also needed some one-on-one time with my nephew. Since I don't think he's quite ready for a sleepover, we went to the dinosaur/natural history museum instead.

The second we were through the door he started telling me all the things he want to do - first up, ride the elevator. I've never been to this museum before - but he has so I thought we'd be taking the elevator up to some of the displays. Turns out it is just an elevator to classrooms and he just wanted to ride it for the sheer joy of riding an elevator.

Next up he started talking about the computers - it didn't take long until we found one and he settled in and tried to make the games and learning activities work, I think he'll do better when he can read. But man, has he mastered that mouse.

Pretty early in our exploration he started talking about finding the big shark, I was a bit worried that he had mixed up the museum with the aquarium and was afraid he'd be disappointed when he didn't get to see the shark. Turns out he knows his stuff - we soon found the shark - and he wasn't joking with he said it was big!

We had a tiny disagreement when we got to the water/sand table. I wanted him to wear the apron so I'd take him home to his mom somewhat clean - he didn't like the apron. Somehow I won the argument (I think it may have something to do with promising him ice cream after we finished....) I figure I'm the aunt which makes bribery an acceptable form of persuasion.

All in all, it was a great way to spend the morning and I can't wait to spend more one-on-one time with both of my favorite little ones.

I liked Jakob Dylan as part of the Wallflowers back in the day, but I really love his current solo work, including this one: "Nothing but the Whole Wide World to Gain."


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Vacations Always End

I'm just back from vacation and serious digital detox -  3 weeks with no work, limited wifi access; I feel like a new woman. I spent time reading, shopping, catching up with friends and family, a little exploring and a lot of relaxation. I'm feeling extremely lucky (and chill right now.)

Today is about getting back to real life, catching up at work and enjoying that extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day.

I think today calls for some Black Keys: Lonely Boy.


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A Slumber Party

Friday was the big slumber party. Just me and my niece for the entire night. We saw our first 3D movie together, not sure how I've missed the entire 3D craze, but based on my viewing of "Puss in Boots" I still don't see the real appeal, am I missing something?

After the movie we went to Target to get supplies for the rest of the night and both came home with a pair of platform sandals (too bad it isn't sandal weather yet.)

Next up, a little dancing...our soundtrack? Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl, Miss M's favorite, Katy Perry's California Girls and just to help round out her musical education for the night, the original California Girls by the Beach Boys.

We painted our nails, made cupcakes.....

and ate them for breakfast. We had a great time and I for one, can't wait to do it again with my very favorite little girl.

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Golden Morning

We had the most glorious golden sunrise this morning - the warm light somehow made even the snow look warm. A perfect start to a Friday.

Today is a very full day at my house, I'm finishing my last day at work before a 3 week vacation (yes, I know I'm lucky.)  I'm getting ready for a sleepover with my niece - we are going to go to a movie, make cupcakes and maybe even paint our nails, I hope she is as excited as I am. I'm packing for that vacation I mentioned and I'm prepping for a 10 year reunion tomorrow (oh, the pressure of picking the perfect outfit and hoping for a good hair day!)

I hope you have a wonderful Friday - and that your weekend is as full of fun as I expect mine to be.

Just in case your day didn't start out quite as golden as mine, here's a little golden music to keep you warm. The Damnwells - Golden Days

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Valentine's Day Recap

Valentine's Day is one of those holidays I usually dread (being chronically single may influence my opinion.) But this year wasn't so bad. After sleeping in and getting a little work done, I hit the stores (along with half the men in the city) to pick up a little something for my niece and nephew. I then spent a couple of hours playing with them (one of the biggest benefits of finally being home is being able to spend a bit of time with them each day.) Then the day was capped off with another personal favorite - homemade Valentine's cookies (it's official, I have the best neighbors in the world.)

By the end of the day, I was ready to admit that Valentine's Day doesn't have to be a day to dread.

How did you celebrate?

Have you heard First Aid Kit yet? Check out their Emmylou or The Lion's Roar - both have been on heavy rotation at my house this week.


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Buses, Planes, Trains, Automobiles (and Hotels)

Taken with my iPad as I flew over the Alps,

maybe I need to give up my aisle seats more often if the view is this incredible.

After 3 months of 80+ hour work weeks, where I worked 20 out of 24 Saturdays and Sundays, my project is finished and I made it home.

This time getting home was in itself a lesson in patience and perseverance,  I left the office around 4 on Thursday afternoon, hiked up the hill in Lausanne (where it was freezing), grabbed my suitcases and caught a bus to the train station.

Uncharacteristically, the train was running late, so I stood around the station for an extra 20 minutes. I arrived in Geneva, found the shuttle to my hotel room for the night. I got checked in and quickly realized that if I wanted dinner I'd have to take the shuttle back to the train station because there were no options within walking distance. 6AM brought another shuttle ride to the airport where finally my journey home felt like it was beginning.

I landed in London on time and, luckily given how many flights had been cancelled last week out of Heathrow, mine was on-time. The flight to Chicago was uneventful, on arrival the snow on the ground made me slightly nervous, but I had a 5 hour layover, so surely things would be better later in the day.

Not so - only after I checked my luggage through to Salt Lake I discovered my flight had been cancelled. After standing in a few lines and talking to several people, it became apparent I wasn't getting out of Chicago on Friday. I sweet talked the airline into a voucher for a reduced rate hotel room (and thanked my lucky stars that I always pack a carryon, with the expectation that I'll get stuck somewhere.)

I braved the blowing snow to track down yet another shuttle bus to the hotel, crashed in what was probably the most comfortable bed I'd slept in in 3 months (thank you Marriott!) and prayed for a less snowy Saturday.

My prayers were answered and at noon I boarded on my final plane (for a few weeks at least.) More than 48 hours after I left the office on Thursday I was finally home. The best part of my trip home was being picked up by my sister, niece and nephew, how I've missed them.

The next time someone makes a comment about how glamourous it must be to travel for work, I'll probably grin and agree, but in the back of my mind I'll be remembering all the trips like this that turn the glamour into pain, but for now I'm going to revel in being home, sleeping in my own bed and being able to visit Target whenever I want.

Am I the last person on earth to discover Lana Del Rey? After a coworker turned me onto her album last week, its been on heavy rotation: Video Games

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