Wordless Wednesday: Taking time to smell the roses

... and look at rainbows... and do my nails... 
and read... and play Cards Against Humanity.

Wordless (NOT!) Wednesday: a tribute to online friends

photo by the lovely Colleen

This picture from girls' brunch in Jacksonville brings a big 'ole smile to my face. I'm in the bright blue (hi!).

Pictured to my right is Jenny, a high school friend whom I grew closer to after high school, thanks in large part to the blogosphere. It had been at least a decade (probably closer to 15 years - ouch) since last I saw her. (Thanks to social media, though, it felt like I had just seen her yesterday.) I had to fight back the tears as my virtual hugs finally became tangible ones, a blessing for which I'm grateful.

Pictured to my left is April, my very first online friend. April and I started talking (and cheering for the Gators) in an online scrapbooking class back in 2008 and eventually took the conversation to Twitter (where we discovered our mutual love for Twilight) and then to the blogosphere. We have even watched movies together while in different states. Isn't technology amazing?!

Pictured to the far right is Colleen, aka my online soul sister. Colleen and I met through a girl talk blog, where we giggled over our mutual love for hot soap opera hunks. We then started cheering for the Gators (along with Jenny and April) on Twitter, but it wasn't until we hit Facebook that we discovered a connection that put us only one degree of separation from each other in real life. Talk about a small world!

Thanks to social media - our blogs, Twitter, and Facebook - the four of us became friends, individually and as a group, as is true of a lot of you reading this. If anyone says that "online friends aren't real friends," I have only to look at comments, emails, and tweets to prove that someone wrong. My online friends kept me company when I was buried under four feet of snow in Pennsylvania, cheered me on when life was good, and lifted my spirits when it wasn't - all the things real friends do. They just happened to do these things via a computer.

And so today, as I look at this picture and smile, feeling grateful for ALL of my wonderful online friends, I also give thanks for the brains behind the technology that made these friendships possible.

Wordless Wednesday: #Resound11

Best Photo of 2011

Mimi, our little diva

"Wordless" Wednesday: Week in Review

Wednesday, October 26

enjoying a blissful hour of relaxation after a few stressful days

Thursday, October 27

boot season = a new nap locale for Mimi

Friday, October 28

no explanation needed

Monday, October 31

Cheryl who? There's only Bellatrix Lestrange here (and a messy house).

Tuesday, November 1

TWILIGHT TUESDAY!!!

Since my iPhone has become my new camera, I thought I'd link up here
and find some kindred photo spirits.

Starting the new year off on the right foot (Wordless Wed)

Walk for Life

Saturday, October 1

Columbia, SC

It's hard to see because the light wasn't cooperating, but the mass

of people walking up the hill ahead of me was nothing short of impressive.

Happiness is... (the Labor Day edition)

... catching up with an old friend and meeting an online friend for the first time.

yours truly with Leigh and Stacie of Whimsical Fic-ery at the Decatur Book Festival

... getting to meet an author you adore and having the opportunity to tell her that she's the reason some of your students became readers.

crushing on Margaret Peterson Haddix

... spending time with your in-laws, who you've come to love as your own family, 

and snuggling with your nieces and nephew.

(not pictured because I was too busy enjoying their company to take photos)

Wordless Wednesday: A Mental Health Break

Getting away from it all is a good thing.

Wordless Wednesday: The "After" Picture

Mrs. 4444 pointed out that I was a bit of a tease for not revealing the "after" photo of my haircut (sorry). So, without further ado...

Anti-climactic, I know.

For those of you who are more into words than pictures, I have a lot of those to say, and now that I have a comfy, almost box-free area in the new apartment from which to blog (cue the choir of angels), they'll be coming soon!

Wordless Wednesday: It's All Gone!

(Not Really) Wordless Wednesday: 1 Day in May

While catching up on my blog reader a few weeks ago, I came across this awesome idea (and template) on Kim's blog to document a day by taking one picture every hour from wakeup to bedtime. Though my day wasn't super interesting, as you can tell by the numerous computer and food pictures I took, I thought it was a neat way to capture a "slice" of real life. I'm going to try to do one of these layouts every year going forward. Thanks for the inspiration, Kim, and for the time-saving template!

Click to enlarge.

Wordless Wednesday (edited for email FAIL)

This is my first attempt at email blogging, so forgive me if I fail. Sorry for the double post, but how can you help me with my mission to find these cuties if you can't see the picture?

After a the-world-is-against-me workday, which culminated with being locked out of my computer, my girlfriend and I went to dinner, where I enjoyed a color-coordinated martini sampler (Jolly Rancher, strawberry, and pom). The best part? I got carded. So what if my girlfriend paid her to do it?

If anyone knows where I can get mini-martini glasses like these, please let me know. I think they'd be great to fill with candy and give as shower gifts.

Sent FAILED from my iPhone

Wordless Wednesday Excitement

Out with the old...

in with the new!

Wordless Wednesday: The Scrappy Edition

I feel like I've been neglecting my scrappy readers, so I thought I'd share a few layouts from my LOAD. All of these layouts were quickly and easily made using digital templates.

Portugal

Digital template by Cathy Zielske (Design Your Life)

You

Digital template by Cathy Zielske (Design Your Life)

Rock On! (this might be my fave)

ScrapSimple Digital Layout Template: Round N Round

Gel Pen Alphabet and Doodles by LetteringDelights

Wordless Wednesday (or Where I've been, part two)

In addition to Gainesville, I was also in NYC - twice. The first trip was for work (with a bit of fun thrown in), the second for pure theatre-geek fun.

me with @stineval, dishing over a glass (or two) of wine

enjoying Heather and Mike's company

(and hospitality... the lady makes the BEST vegetarian lasagna, for reals)

PS. Mike is the one who designed my awesome Gator graphic.

PPS. They're getting married!!! I'm just a tad bit excited about this.

the craziest piece of lemon meringue I've ever seen/tasted

(from Brooklyn Diner, which has the BEST mac n' cheese)

me and @dydirect (purple dress) with some of the the cast of Mary Poppins

me with @marypoppinslmk aka Mary Poppins

It was a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious good time! ☺

Wordless Wednesday: Video Edition

Glee is aptly named, for it brings me just that. If you haven't experienced the wonders of it yet, enjoy a taste below.

Nablopomo

No, I haven't gone all Mork from Ork on you. That little alphabet soup is the acronym for National Blog Posting Month, and I've decided to give it a whirl.

If I can create a scrapbook page everyday for 31 days, then posting everyday for a month should be a piece of cake, right? Besides, I'm in good company.

A couple of thoughts as I woke up today:

1. I think maybe, possibly, perhaps (I don't want to admit nor commit to this) I'm becoming a morning person. I'm not sure who I am or where my former self went, but my new self is up and ready (and perky without a drop of caffeine?) well before 7 these days.
2. Having so much to do this week, I decided to play the "bad wife" card and go all frozen dinners on Hubby. While making our selections last night at the store, I was happily surprised to see that Healthy Choice now makes a mostly vegetarian line of frozen entrees. What's exciting about this is that "vegetarian" options in the frozen foods section (where I live) usually consists of cheese pizza. These are healthy, grown-up meals, and the one I had last night tasted great. Thank you, Healthy Choice! (No, I have not received any sort of compensation for saying that; it's my honest, unsolicited opinion.)
3. I leave you with this picture on a not-so-wordless Wednesday. It's the constantly growing list of things I hope to squeeze into my not-so-big carry-on bag. Uh, uh-huh.

Wordless Wednesday, the 70s edition

We had "The Best of Times" last night at the Kansas/REO Speedwagon/STYX concert. 'The Pinnacle" for me was REO's set since I've always wanted to see them live.

Well, "Time for Me to Fly" so enjoy the pictures until next time!

Kansas

REO Speedwagon (Bruce, call me!)

STYX