LEAP day

today is 'leap' day!! it only comes around once every four years, and i've been thinking for a while about what i should do. it's not like it's a holiday or anything but it's also not everyday that you get an extra day in the year. what a treat! i was trying to think of creative acronyms to go with LEAP-the most obvious one, of course, is Laugh, Eat And Play-while that is wondeful, it's not anything different from the everyday. Love, Empathize And Pray-now there's something we should be doing every day and maybe don't. we're getting closer. Lounge, be Entertained And Purposefully relax--i think i've hit the nail on the head!! tonight i am going to get a massage, out to a movie and that will all help me to just relax after a long week...

...what are you doing today that's different?

pretty in pink

i love flowers-i absolutely love all kinds of flowers-and they come in all kinds of beautiful colors! despite my overarching love for foliage, roses hold a class all their own. they're just so exquisite, so commanding, so feminine, so thorny (sometimes!).

during valentine's season, a dozen roses will start at $29.99 and go up from there depending on the color, arrangement and vendor. in safeway the other night, there were TONS of roses brimming out of water-filled buckets--no doubt overstocks from the day of love--yet a wonderfully aromatic suprise for a flower lover like myself.

after deciding that $9.99/dozen sounded like a darn good deal coming down from $29.99-i decided to treat myself :) i chose the 'almost pink' ones-they match my bedroom walls perfectly, and they've been sitting there making me feel beautiful all week. oh, the simple pleasures...

moolah

i'm going out on a limb here to talk about something that's really hard for me to process right now...

• i have been job searching like crazy, right? found a job that sounds awesome-it's only part time (can't pay the bills) and i feel wrong about applying for it-WHY?
• i've been pursuing knowledge of the field of color-buying lots of books, spending countless hours online reading/researching, networking, and found lots of information and education opportunities-but it all costs SO MUCH MONEY.
• i don't love my job but it's fine and at least it's stable-i am sooo grateful for that-it pays enough to get by but not much more. when you want to consider things that cost significant amounts of money-it's just frustrating. i feel like i could make so much progress in my own personal knowledge of color and the color industry, to see if this is indeed what i'm supposed to be moving towards, if i could go to some of these classes. but they cost a bundle of money.
• i don't have bundles of money laying around!! (nobody really does), there's no chance of me winning the lottery since i don't even buy tickets, and i'm in a stalemate with income.
• i'm stuck in the job i have, barely have the energy to make it through the week sometimes so a second job is not really feasible at this point, and can't get a better paying job because i need some of this knowledge to do so!!! ARG. not to mention just trying to feel like i have a handle on life...growing up is so great and SOOO HARD sometimes. i have learned so much about God's faithfulness being out on my own and continually am striving to improve in my financial disciplines but somedays it feels impossible.
• i am praying for miraculous provision if i'm supposed to go to any of these classes but feel so discouraged about why money is so stressful all the time-ugh. i'm tired of worrying about it and just want to catch a break-a BIG one...

and i kinda really really want another vacation already even though i just had a mini one :(

[i'm not whining because i know there's always a lesson to be learned and that my life isn't really THAT hard compared to so many across the world but i just needed to vent...and if anyone has any 'get rich quick' schemes...i'm open to suggestions :)]

a COLORFUL update :)

i have been working on my application and cover letter for that colorist job in west seattle and can't seem to shake this halting feeling-i really really want to apply but i feel like i'm not supposed to-ugh. i don't know if it's a timing issue...things at mbi are pretty crazy right now because my design director quit, and it would be awful of me to quit too. we are barely gonna make it by while they find a replacement, and i just couldn't do that to them. so i suppose i am going to stay until things get settled...(another couple of months???)-DON'T KNOW....

GOOD NEWS: i found another sort of seminar series, on color/psychology, down in San Diego at the end of march put on by the IACCNA (international association of color consultants -north america) :) AND all 4 seminars in this series sound fascinating: Color, Environment, and the Human Reaction--Color in the Architectural Space--Phenomenon Color Theory/Color Harmony--Biological Effects of Light/Color Psychology in Depth-WOW...so cool.

even though i have no clear direction, i am so encouraged by all the little things that keep coming up about color education and jobs. i just have to continue waiting (which i'm so bad at), looking and praying that i know which ones to pursue, trusting that provision will come along too!

...part 3

Seaside, OR

Seaside is a lot more touristy than Cannon Beach is. A ton of hotels and souvenier shops. the beach is much more wide open and not nestled quite as tightly to the hills behind. it was a beautiful day, and i had a lot of fun eating Kona coffee ice cream in a waffle cone while wandering and people-watching!

Astoria, OR

i was tragically unimpressed by Astoria. i was excited to go there because i'd heard good things, and had just seen the movie The Goonies (courtesy of my friend Jen), which was filmed there. but the following pictures are about the only cool things i could find....bummer.

the bridge

the pretty colored boat

...part 2...

Ecola State Park, OR

beaches, hiking and more beaches!!-part 1

CANNON BEACH, OR
"Cannon Beach was named for a cannon that was discovered on the beach. In 1846, the U.S. Navy schooner Shark was wrecked while trying to leave the Columbia River. A large piece of the schooner's deck with a cannon and capstan attached washed up on the beach, and the town's name is based on this event
Haystack Rock, at 235 feet high, is the third largest coastal monolith in the world." (source)

Oregon treated me good...

i have been looking forward to this weekend since January 1st. it's my first 3 day weekend of the year and i was ready to cut loose from Seattle! i only worked a half day on friday and was able to get out of town mid-afternoon on my trek to portland. unfortunately, there was still 4.5 hours of traffic between me and callie/brandon. BUT they graciously had dinner perfectly ready right when i got there ('homemade' lasagna, and fancy salad-yum). i think i've probably said this before but i will say it again. i LOVE having colorado people so close :) we spent the whole evening chatting and catching up.

saturday morning we got a slow start (it my fault for sleeping in!) and had belgian waffles and bacon to get ourselves all fueled up for the adventures ahead.

destination: downtown portland.

we did a bit more exploring than the previous time i'd been there, and we were SOOOO urban and green. we drove to a park and ride-[some dorky security guy on a stupid looking scooter told us to move our car because it was the overflow lot for the mall-begrudgingly, we did-and only into the actual parking garage for the mall-it's all about creative ingenuity:) ]-then hopped on the lightrail in the 'fareless square'-hopped off and walked several blocks through downtown and of course, powell's books. i found one of the color psychology books that has eluded me here in seattle! next, came the streetcar to an obscure little taiwanese restaurant that brandon's dad had found-i must admit i was sketched out when we first got there but by the end i really loved it! (and i REALLY REALLY wanted to take a picture of the food but that just seemed weird so you'll have to imagine...)

I LOVE THIS PHOTO (see below)
beautiful sky-it was 'patchy' sun for the afternoon i left portland early evening and felt so encouraged and blessed by my time with them-thanks for having me, guys!

desination: cannon beach

i got out to cannon beach around 8pm that night, and literally squealed in my car as i drove into town. it's adorable and it was exactly what i was hoping for. there were people walking about and lots of little hotels. i had no idea where the beach was, because it was pitch black outside, but i had no doubt that discovery would come first thing the next morning.

bright and early the next morning i stepped out of my hotel room...

(i forgot to take pictures of the inside-sorry)

...and saw this...
i could feel my soul smiling already!! the brisk morning air, waves rhythmically crashing to shore, seagulls swooping low over the water, and dogs bounding after their tennis balls set the stage for what was bound to be a fabulous day! after a short run-during which i realized why i'd been putting off getting back into shape...my lungs were gasping for oxygen-and a long walk, i wandered into town for a few hours. cannon beach has an abundance of art galleries, much to my delight, and a lack of coffee shops with comfy chairs. i found 1 that had a spot for me to sit (bella espresso)-these crazy people must not love coffee-how is that possible?

ready to explore (off to bed-more tomorrow...)

weekend of freedom :)

portland/cannon beach or bust...

life

1. learning some fascinating tidbits on color-don't have time to tell all but it's good :)
2. bad day at work but tomorrow is a new day and i'm leaving early on friday
3. headed to portland for friday/saturday-then cannon beach for sunday/monday-absolutely can't wait!
4. gone to bed past midnight every night this week-yikes.
5. valentine's are being sent late-sorry.
6. really really miss brother and sister right now :(

shades of hope

ok, people--good news!

i've been stumbling onto several people/connections with the color world in the last few weeks. these have been really unexpected encounters and such gifts of encouragement from the Lord.
the guy who was helping us move our sample library at work has an inside connection at the Color Marketing Group, who he is going to call to network for me!! the Color Marketing Group is an association of color professionals-so if you can become a part of that, you can find out all kinds of stuff :) this last week the Momentum Textiles rep came in and i spent the majority of the morning with her talking about, of all things, color! turns out that she is a member of the Color Marketing Group herself (wow) and has a few key connections. her best friend happens to be the Benjamin Moore paint company colorist-like the freakin' leading lady for the ENTIRE company's color forcasting department-ahhhhhh-and she's going to call her for me--i feel like i've just stepped into heaven!! she is also aware of 3-4 independent colorists here in seattle-apparently they're pretty secretive and independent because they don't want competition-and is going to investigate a bit for me-this could be a tough nut to crack but all this information and finding another colorfully kindred spirit has been great!

about a year and half ago, when i was first getting interested in color i found a company over in west seattle called Authentic HOME. they are a combo interior design, paint and color studio. well, i talked to the owner and it wasn't really a good fit for me at the time. about a month ago, i rediscovered them. i also separately discovered this environmentally friendly paint company in portland called Devine Paint that offers expensive color training (talk about my heart rate going up with excitment). ironically, Authentic HOME sells their line of paint. Authentic HOME is also HIRING a part time colorist!!!!!!!!-the bummer is that it's part time, but i'm thinking that i might be able to at least get in with them to get experience; maybe it would develop into a full time job quickly (i would find a high paying supplemental job-ideally-until then); maybe they would pay to send me to portland to get training since i would be selling that particular paint and who knows?! i am still really prayerfully considering this and what my approach to it all should be, but the Lord has been so faithful in slowly opening doors-i'm just praying for the patience to see where it leads...

LOVE

with the holiday's and 2008 off to a quick start it had been almost 2 months since i'd seen these little ones. i was so excited to get there tonight, and we had so much fun playing dinosaurs, learning how to pirouette, discovering the phenomenon of whistling, and giggling about nothing.

my favorite was when carly was wrapped up in my left arm, max in my right-we're all squished onto the couch amidst big cushions and a handful of stuffed animals-and out of the blue, she looks up at me, blows a kiss and whispers "i love you"-OH MY GOSH, talk about heart-melting. these children have shaped me more than i expected. i've been part of their entire lives and can't imagine what it would be like to not know them-i'm so blessed!!

carly took this picture herself! we have a photographer in the making-and seriously?! how cute are thos shoes :)

all i wanted were jeans

i love to shop.
mostly, i window shop.
but this girl loves to find a good bargain.

i was on a mission to find new jeans today.
i always buy Banana Republic jeans because they're the only ones that fit my weird body.
but i always get them on sale.

i walk into the store and meander back towards the sale section. on my way to the back, i walked by 3 ladies. well, there were probably more, but these three stuck out like a sore thumb to me.

they were the obnoxiously loud, Italian-New Yorker type leaving a wake of destruction and disheveled clothes in their path. that's just annoying on so many levels.

first, nobody cares to hear about your uncle's brother's neice who has bad acne.
second, after working retail-you loathe these people who rip your store apart.
third, as a shopper, i now no longer have the joy of discovering a beautiful piece of clothing because they are all laying in piled heaps about ready to fall off the edge of the display table.

anyway, back to the task at hand-finding jeans. i get back to bargain section and find my size bracket on the racks to start browsing. not even a minute later, annoyingly loud, Italian-New Yorker type lady #1 comes over to the same rack. she starts from the other end though.

i delicately peel apart two pairs of pants trying to read the tag without encroaching on the 'shared space'. we all know the golden rule about clothes rack courtesy.
"do unto other shoppers as you would have them do unto you."

well, lady #1 just starts shoving all the pants from her side of the rack towards mine, as if i didn't even exist! the audacity. excuse you! i was there first, by the way; i'm trying to be courteous but oh yeah, you wouldn't know because you're having a yelling conversation with your other friends, who are only standing 2 feet from you, about your uncle's brother's neice's acne. ugh.

so i politely push back a few inches, just so that i can continue browsing. wham! another giant shove of pants my direction. now i'm getting a little irked. so i push back a little harder because it has just turned into a shopping territory war. she begins getting closer to me and the pants i'm browsing through, even being so bold as to start reaching for one's i was perusing through.

that's it-she's crossed the line. so i just start pulling pairs of pants off the rack as if every single one in my size is EXACTLY what i've been looking for. a black cloud of annoyance threatens to break open with a downpour but i just walk away with all my pairs of pants-ha. i won.

AND i found a bargain on a pair of jeans.

goodbye obnoxiously loud, Italian-New Yorker type lady. happy destruction and a warning to all in your path. i vote you just go back to New York where nobody cares...