*Become an expert on your city

*Update your resume

*Start an account on 43 things

*Make a care package and send it to a soldier

*Movie hop and sneak into all the movies you want to see (they are overpriced anyway!)

*Make a work of art using lipstick marks

*Make a list of the top 10 places/sites you want to visit in your lifetime

                 
Here are 10 great posts that are making me smile this morning! 


*Sparkle and Glitter's post on how to make commuting more enjoyable (I can relate!)

*Amelia Arsenic blogs about her 12 Must See Places in Berlin on her blog, Destroyx.

*The Positivity Blog discusses How to Create a Kick Ass 2009.

*Mad about Mad Men from Stickers and Donuts- how appropriate!

*Things to Do When You're Stuck Inside from the Fabulously Broke in the City blog.

*This before and after room redesign from the Design Sponge blog.

*Problogger writes on 5 Steps for Planning the Direction of Your Blog in 2009.

*How to Make Extra Cash from Your Hobbies on Dumb Little Man.

*Check out your monthly horoscope on AstroStyle.

*Any post on 43 Things is interesting- sign up yourself!

                
I've just recently started watching Mad Men and I'm obsessed! I would dress like this every day if I wasn't so lazy!

                   

"May you live everyday of your life."
-Jonathan Swift

Learn to live simpler everyday and find yourself happier . . .

Blow bubbles.  Laugh.  Watch the sun rise and set. Sing at the top of your lungs.  Get lost for an hour.  Smile. Savor a meal. Call in sick and watch movies all day.  Read a good book.  Relax on a hammock.  Sit in silence.  Watch the clouds go by.  Breathe deeply.  Sleep in.  Have a picnic in your living room.  Take a hot shower.  Dance.  Walk everywhere.  Smell flowers.  Go on swings at the park. Say I Love You and mean it. Spin in circles until you fall down.  Tell a joke.  Say thank you.  Get to know your neighbors.  Reminisce.  Play with your pet.  Just get in the car and drive.  Create something with your hands.  Have a good glass of wine.   Look up at the stars.  Listen closely to the sound of running water. Enjoy classical music.  Hug someone you love.  Let it go to voicemail.  Realize tomorrow's another day.  Be inspired.  Enjoy the comfort of your own home.  Forgive and forget.  Live in this moment.  Play with a child.  Dream.  Jump in a pile of leaves.  Skip.  Watch fireworks with your love.  Hold someone's hand.  Feel the sun shining on your face.  Watch waves crash on the shore.  Blow up a balloon.  Feel the sand or grass beneath your feet.  Just live.

xoxoxo

 Don't know if anyone caught this on Bravo but Ironic Iconic America is a special on all the icons of American culture.  Tre cool  . . .and it doesn't hurt that my friend's boyfriend, Rives, hosts it :).  Enjoy mi amore!

                         

As you may or may not realize, this week has been “Armageddon Week” on the History Channel.  A fact which I am familiar with because my boyfriend is the type of person that will watch it every day until it is over.  I now have decent knowledge of everything from Nostradamus to the Apocalypse which probably isn’t a great thing (my boyfriend is convinced he should buy a gun, just in case)! While I’m not entirely sold on the idea of the world ending in the year 2012 (didn’t we say the same thing in 1999?!), it has gotten me to think about how short life is and how important it is to make the most of our time here on earth.  Coincidentally, I have also been reading a book, entitled The Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose by Matthew Kelly that has literally changed the way I look at life in less than two weeks.  If you want to read a book that will change you, I implore you to please read this book. 

 

The basic foundation for this book is the belief that in this chaotic world that we live in, it has become increasingly hard to realize our full potential.  It takes silence and introspection to realize what our needs and desires are.  Oftentimes fear, self doubt and discouragement can hold us back from becoming the best version of ourselves.  The author suggests that in order to be successful in life, we need not to make tons of money or become famous, but become the person we are meant to be.  When we realize our full potential and live the life that truly showcases who we are, only then will we be truly successful. 

 

He also points out that happiness doesn’t come from achieving the goal so much as the journey it takes to get there.  Live everyday for the moment.  Appreciate the small things. Find your inner peace and realize that this universe is much bigger than any minor annoyances plaguing you today.  Embrace the here and now and never stop trying to become who you want to be.  The road will not always be easy, in fact- you will often come up against hardship.  But learn to persevere and continually persist and you will undoubtedly achieve everything you want out of life and then some.

 

It amazes me how one person can so clearly see the world and our purpose in it.    Matthew Kelly’s book has so many useful concepts that it is impossible to touch on all of them in one post, but I strongly urge anyone and everyone that wants to change their lives, thoughts or outlook on life to read it.  It’s the kind of book you’ll want to buy and read over and over again.

 

Below are some random quotes I’ve found that really exemplify the concepts in the book.  Write them down, read them daily and practice what you read.  Your life will be infinitely richer the second you embrace these truths.  

"What's money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do."
Bob Dylan 

"If your success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not feel good in your heart, it is not success at all."
Anna Quindlen

"There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way."
Christopher Morley

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler."
Henry David Thoreau

Do your daily dose of good today and go to the Hunger Site. Click on the "Click Here to Give" button-every time you click the button the website sponsors feed the hungry!  It's as simple as that.  And it's a pretty good deed :)  (Don't forget to click on the tabs at the top for Breast Cancer, Child Health, Literacy, the Rainforest and Animal Rescue too- each page has their own click button as well!)  Happy clicking xoxo

                     

I get a lot of my inspiration from old Hollywood glamour (I'm talking old, like the movies your grandma grew up with!) and have made a list of the top 10 old movies that inspire me the most.  You'll notice that Marilyn Monroe is in 3 of them! To me, she is the ultimate in Hollywood glamour.  If you haven't seen a lot of these movies, go to watch-movies.net and download them for free! 

Top 10 Old Movies
1- Some Like it Hot
2- Sunset Boulevard
3- Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
4- Breakfast at Tiffanys
5- Easter Parade
6- Singing in the Rain
7- Meet Me in St. Louis
8- Valley of the Dolls
9- Charade
10- How to Marry a Millionaire

                       

Ever since I started to travel a lot I've been making scrapbooks to document the places I've been.  The picture above isn't mine (but you can click on it to see the flickr account it belongs to!) - once I get my  new camera working I'll try to post some pictures of one's I've done.  But this is a great example of what you can do (without spending money on crazy expensive scrapbooking supplies from a craft store.)  All you need is some sort of book, a glue stick, interesting paper, and your pictures.  Then you can either decorate the page with stickers (which can get pretty expensive honestly) or cut out random pictures from magazines. Use your favorite hot pink sharpie to scribble captions under all your pics and viola- you've started a scrapbook!  I find this hobby to be totally therapeutic for me- I usually do it while I'm watching TV or something. It takes me a few months to finish a large  book normally because I do a little at a time and it's more fun that way!  I only pick it up when I'm feeling totally inspired :).  Below are some cheap scrapbooking finds to get you started . . .

                                              
                                       70 sheets of vintage paper for only $11.71 at Walmart!




                                                                

                                

I've been doing a lot of blog exploring lately and have randomly rounded up my favorites for you to check out . . . I'm anticipating great things from them in 2009.  Enjoy! 

The Secret Society of List Addicts-  Since I make lists for EVERYTHING this has become one of my favorite blogs!

Sparkle and Glitter- This girl seems to follow a lot of Gala Darling's posts, but she adds some of her own unique insights as well, always with a positive twist.

1000 Awesome Things- A new thing to love everyday.  It makes me smile!

You Are Remarkable- Also makes me smile- it's full of happiness and inspiration . . .

This is Glamorous- The name says it all!

Desire to Inspire- Amazing home interior design inspiration (look at this site when redecorating your room for '09!)

iCING- Gala Darling has pink hair and loves cupcakes- enough said :)

Nubby Twiglet- The faux wifey of Gala Darling- the girl has a serious eye for design and aesthetic. 

Material Girls- More interior design inspiration that I love.

The Positivity Blog- It just makes ya feel good.

Design Sponge- EVEN MORE interior design- I like that kinda stuff I don't know why . . .

Dumb Little Man- Very insightful and informative on a range of topics.  A great site to browse through.

The Art of Non-Conformity- How to live an unconventional life!


LJ Blogs:

EstherBlodgett- She loves movies and television just like me!!  Plus she's a totally positive person which I heart <3

Labeled- This girl pours her heart out which totally takes courage I don't have.  I'm always routing for her!

Live in the Moment- I love reading about this girl frolicking through San Francisco - it makes me want to go back and visit! (oh and she loves the spice girls so she's awesome!)

I'm sure there are a billion more blogs out there that I have yet to discover but these are my current favorites.  Do you have any faves that aren't on this list?  Let me know I love to find new ones!