Every once in a while I’m caught up in big kids work and forget about my Robin Hooding shenanigans.

And then something like this comes along and totally sets me straight…

Paolo Sebastian 2012

Straight down a sparkly, distracting, Pinterest-filled tunnel.

ooohhhh shiny

Another year older. Another year wiser?…

The hubs and I try to keep goal setting and visioning as a full-time, year-round gig. We unofficially made it our habit to have Saturday breakfast and pour over our big dreams early on in our relationship. It was one of the reasons I knew he was the one. Because he was my strategic partner in life, not just love.

But even though we strive to make goal setting a habit, with another new year rolling around, I still can’t help but feel rejuvenated and excited with the promise of a “clean slate” and new beginnings.

I’m just a sucker for big dreaming…

carpe diem

Not all those who wonder are lost

My mind is a wanderer. A wonderer.

They say it’s a symptom of our generation. A generation of entitlement. They say it like it’s a bad thing.

Is it bad to feel like there’s something more? Spoiled to think there might be a better way than “paying your dues”, “sticking with it”, “climbing the ladder”? What’s the risk in steering a new course?

What’s the risk of not?

So I dare say I’d rather be entitled. I’d rather dabble in my dreams. Chase the unknown. Fill my life with passion and wonder.

I’d rather pack up and follow my mind wherever it wanders.

And you?

that one time we got philosophical at sushi, guns for african children and pufflin’

{Personal Post}

Zee German and I have a thing. We go out to eat and we talk about life. goals. careers. arming Uganda’s children with guns (Oh hey Kony!).

This week we found ourselves facing another game of let’s see what random high fructose corn syrup “edible” we can find in the cupboards – did I mention I used to love cooking? Bait and switch baby. Bait and switch. But since we had recently discovered a new hidden gem of sushigasm in my mouth (and the cutest little sushi chef ever!) let’s not kid on how long that game lasted.

But what was the most fun about going out was getting the chance to talk to Zee German. Really talking to him. Because what I’m realizing is that  we’re stuck in a consistency pattern. We get up. Talk Puffin to our Muffin (don’t be jealous you don’t have a secret language developed only by crazy couples overly obsessed with their puppehs). Go to work. Binge on the horrible office food that will surely cause our bodies to spontaneously combust. Go home. Workout! – ’cause we’re sexy and we know it…could not resist. could not. – And then somewhere between playing with Puffer McNugget (AKA our BABY PUPPEH! Love Child) and hoarding candy, we find out way to the bed and pass out.

And somewhere along the road those big dreams we talked about. The goals. The Careers. They all get swept away under the blanket of Comfort.

So while I’m raving about his genius creativity and how he has the insane ability to see things where others don’t. That he’s someone who could really come up with something original and amazing, and not just a spin-off of someone else’s amazing. He tells me he just wants to own a gun store (No he’s not crazy. He’s just in love with everything American. Muscle Cars. The 2nd Amendment. The right to NOT ride the bus.). To which I say, in the most I-am-not-belittling-your-dreams way possible, “But don’t you want to do something bigger than yourself? Something that makes an impact. Means something to somebody?”

And this is what I got.

“For every gun sold I’d give one to a kid in Africa.” [pause…wait for it.] “Like the Tom shoes.”

But of course that immediately spun off to how, though horribly inappropriate, what those Kony supporters really should have done is just arm the kids. Wait for Kony to come to them. And well hi there Kony.

However it doesn’t discount that I. That WE. All of us. Need to constantly remind ourselves that we truly are our own worst obstacles to being our most authentic versions of ourselves. That we’re the only ones (okay, maybe that’s itty bitty broad) stopping us from being the next Steve Jobs or Jeff Bezos.

And that sometimes we just need to flat out remind ourselves that…

adventures in growing up

As we left work Zee German said something related to babysitting, which led us to mention Adventures in Babysitting and how we both loved that movie, which of course then led us to how Zee German obviously made it his goal to relive this movie in his daily life as proven by his track record of dating sub-25 year olds. Then deciding to marry one who frequently tries to get herself killed by texting and walking, crossing the street when everyone else does (despite the oncoming traffic) and drunkapades involving tutus, butts in the air and walking away with anyone that takes her hand (Oh hai mom! Promise I would never do that), where by making the rest of his life one big bad adventure in babysitting.

And that’s really all any of this mid-20 something life seems to be. One big adventure. Adventure in finding yourself. losing yourself. discovering yourself. accepting yourself. pushing yourself. Currently I’m somewhere between re-finding myself and letting go of the self I thought I was supposed to be.

This quote has popped up in my life about 5 times in the last couple weeks, which usually would mean that it’s a big flipping sign I’m not really doing what I should be (workwise or by spending too much time on sites like Pinterest – you decide).

And I really like this quote. It makes perfect sense that you should be doing what you would prefer to spend your time with when you have the choice. However, I also hate this quote because it makes me want to punch babies in the face when I re-assess how I spend my time and realize I need to find a way to become a professional Facebook Stalker, Pinboard Curator, or Coco Puffin Cuddler.

So the takeaway here is:

I need to be more flipping productive with my time

But also, it does help me narrow down interests, because it’s true that while many of us enjoy spending our time on Social Media sites and stalking  connecting with others, there are some things to be discovered in why I personally enjoy it so much. I like connecting. I like creating. I like beauty and visuals. I like writing. I like ideas. I like sharing. And I’m sure that if I keep analyzing this idea of work being what I prefer to do with my time, I just might figure out what the hell it is that I am “supposed” to be doing with myself. Or at least I’ll have a really great Pinboard about it in the meantime.