I continue to try getting rid of our stuff, one item, one box, one car load at a time. Most of it goes to a local non-profit or Goodwill, but there are some items that have some value that we feel bad just giving away. A buying and selling platform I really like is Let Go. It offers both a website and app option. I personally use the app. It is very user friendly and you can easily snap a photo, add details and upload your item for sale. I have also purchased home decor items from Let Go. The experience has been really positive. You can communicate through the app with the seller about pick-up details and any delays that come up. I bring Joel with me because I'm a paranoid person, but all transactions have been pleasant. The prices are usually pretty reasonable, they have many categories to choose from and there is also a free section that sometimes has some good items. I also like this site as a source of inspiration. There are several people that sell unique handmade items like the bench below that I want to duplicate immediately after seeing. The format reminds me a lot of Pinterest. Just what I need - a second Pinterest to consume all of my time!
Happy buying and selling! With hopes of more selling than buying, at least in my case!
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Hi. I'm Augusta. A 32-year-old woman. Wife. Dog mom. Aunt. And I have a confession to make... I'm in love with Harry Styles. I was hesitant to make this post because I'm a little embarrassed by my fan girl enthusiasm for this man. But we can't help who we love. Right? Joel knows the true reason why I'm obsessed with him - he's a young clone of my ultimate crush - Mick Jagger. And you know what, I'm alright with that! It only means that once Mick Jagger leaves us, I'll have Harry to take his place! Let me make one thing clear (because I somehow think this makes things less embarrassing) - I was NOT a One Direction fan. I discovered Harry as a solo artist, which is so, so much better than his boy band days. His lyrics are mature, his music is just the right balance of chill and upbeat, and he's cute as heck! What I really like is that his live, acoustic sets sound just as wonderful as the fully produced music you hear on his album. No frills. I have his current album on vinyl for home and on iTunes for when I'm on the go. It's my life's current soundtrack. I couldn't choose one song that was my favorite...so I picked three. Take a listen and good luck not getting hooked! :-) I owe a whole lot to Adriene Mishler. A woman I've never met (but hope to) who feels like one of my oldest friends. She is one of the biggest reasons I got into and continue doing yoga. If you are interested in starting an at home yoga practice, Adriene's your girl. She has a YouTube channel and website with countless FREE(!) yoga and meditation videos. From yoga for beginners to 30-day programs and five minute simple stretches to 60 minute flows. Her motto is "Find What Feels Good." That means no "yoga robots" - go at your own pace, move the way your body needs you to move (even if it looks silly). It's not about the perfect pose with Adriene. It's about showing up on your mat in whatever form you bring in that moment. She's pretty darn funny, too. There hasn't been a video yet where I haven't laughed out loud at an adorable thing she's said! Here's one of my favorite practices. I reserve it for times when I am in a place that feels uncertain and sad. I end the practice at peace and in tears because I release so much emotion. I hope you'll give Adriene a try. She's one of the best yogis out there who I love very much!
Namaste! This show won my heart immediately! I happened upon it while searching for a new series to watch when I got ready in the morning and I'm so glad I took a chance on it. I ended up watching it in the morning, on lunch break, and at night - whenever I had the chance! The show follows a teenage boy, Sam, who is on the Autism spectrum, and his family. It presents a very honest reflection of the joys and challenges that come with having a child with Autism, along with other complications that exist within families. I felt the storylines were very well done, complex, and the ending of each episode left me anxious for the next one. "Charming" is the word I'd use to describe this show. The actor that plays Sam does a great job, as do the actors that play his family members. Autism is a sensitive topic, but they managed to navigate it respectfully and in a way that provided a form of education about this condition. I did not know much about Autism before watching this show, so appreciated gaining insight on what it is and its affects. This series is a Netflix original and is available for watching now. Binge away! I've been on the search for a daily reflection book and was lucky enough to run across this gem in a used bookstore we frequent!
The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo contains a reflection for every single day of the year. There are no days or years tied to the dates, so it can be reused over and over again! The topic of each passage varies - some are personal stories from Mark, others are stories from or about people he knows. Each one is very brief yet insightful. A consistent theme at the end of each entry is a focus on three mindfulness activities. You're asked to focus, to breathe, to silence your mind, to release anything you're holding onto. Taking time in the morning for daily reflection has been a great addition to my routine. So far, I haven't missed a day. It's become very important to me to start the day in the right state-of-mind. It takes just a few minutes. Whether or not you personally connect to the message that day, at the very least you can feel good knowing you took some time to be still and focus on your personal growth. Namaste, my friends! I know this show is "old news" but I took a brief hiatus from it a few years back and just recently started watching it again. I'm unsure why I stopped watching it, but am kind of glad I did because I get to catch up on old seasons until the next one comes out! The show begins by focusing on a single inmate, Piper, but as the seasons advance, broadens to include story lines featuring the many different characters around her. The show is actually based on the real experience of a woman named Piper who spent a year in prison for money-laundering and wrote a book about it. One of my favorite parts of the show are flashbacks they do on each character, showing how they ended up in prison. They feature one to two flashback story lines on a different inmate in each episode, so you get to know them better over time. The flashbacks make me think about criminals in general in a slightly different way because it humanizes them. You're forced to remember they had/have real lives with real experiences and real people in them. It also forces you to think about the prison system and how things are run. Yes, these are criminals, but they are people, too. Where's the line? Should there be a line? There are currently five seasons on Netflix. If you watched before and stopped like I did, it's worth going back for. If you have never watched, let the binge begin! Bandannas are IT for me right now. If I'm not at work, I'm wearing a bandanna. In my hair, around my neck, on my purse strap. I can't get enough. I like the traditional colors, nothing funky - no neon pinks, purples, greens. I'm a black, navy blue, red kind of girl. Keeping it classic. My latest bandanna styling inspiration came from Antique Archaeology in LeClaire, Iowa: You better believe I bought their bandanna - which is just absolutely perfect for me when you see it laid out and read the copy: I even found a pair of railroad striped overalls to pair it with, all in the same weekend. I was certainly winning.
Are you super into bandannas right now, too? I want to know how you're styling them - comment below or send a picture to gusta_84@yahoo.com and I'll share on my blog to give others some inspiration! Have you ever "discovered" a band that has been around for a really long time and you feel a little sad that you didn't pay more attention to them earlier? This is how I feel about The Rolling Stones. Of course I knew who The Rolling Stones were. Heard some of their music, recognized their iconic tongue logo, was aware of Mick Jagger. Little did I know how quickly they would become one of my favorite bands of all time. Music is wonderful and an art form I truly cherish. I love how different bands "speak to us" at different times of our lives. I believe that bands come into our lives when we need them most. Like I said, I had listened to the Stones before, and although their tunes were catchy, the lyrics never "spoke to me." But now they do. Deeply. For example - I struggle with depression and anxiety, beating myself up (a lot) about the things I do and don't do. On my way into work this morning, I was reeling from something I was abusing myself for that happened the night before. All of a sudden "19th Nervous Breakdown" by The Rolling Stones came on the radio and I couldn't help but smile. It was a pretty perfect song to come on in that moment as I was mid-breakdown. I cranked it up, and when it was over, threw in their '64-'71 hits CD. I was in tears by the time I pulled into work finishing up "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." My sadness? Gone. I was ready. They've become my refuge during tough times lately and I feel so extremely grateful for them. Below are the songs that touched me this morning, but my list of favorites is much longer than these two! I am lucky that my husband is also a huge fan. We were able to take a trip to see "The Rolling Stones Exhibitionism" in Chicago!
Let me start this post by saying I am NOT a sci-fi person. At all. Hate alien movies, like Star Wars OK, not a superhero fanatic. Guardians of the Galaxy is my only exception to the rule. I love these movies so much! Joel and I went to see Vol. 2 over the weekend. We both read questionable reviews about it beforehand, but were pleasantly surprised to learn that we enjoyed the second installment of this movie as much as the first! Funny. Charming. Action packed. Amazing soundtrack (again). I'm really emotionally invested in the characters, so I rode a roller coaster of emotions throughout. But don't worry, there's a happy ending! This book was a page turner. Couldn't put it down. I finished it in five days, which for me, is a miracle.
Swimming Lessons is a story about a woman - wife, mother, friend - that goes missing after leaving a trail of letters for her husband hidden in his overwhelmingly large collection of books. Ingrid's letters outline her life, in grueling detail, starting from the point when she met her husband up until the day she disappears. There is a lot of speculation around where she had gone. Had she drowned in the sea? Or had she chosen to leave? Her letters are presented every other chapter. The space in between is filled with a present day account of life without Ingrid through the eyes of her daughter, Flora. She shares the other side of Ingrid's story. How others viewed Ingrid. How her family and friends, primarily her husband, were coping (or not coping) with her disappearance. If I could choose one word to describe this book, it would be "haunting." Haunting in a way that was mysterious, moody and reflected the deep complication that exists on some level in every parent/child relationship and in marriage. I'll never forget it. If you're a lover of books with happy endings, this wouldn't be for you. But if you like stories that explore the "things left unsaid" in relationships - you'll love this. Enjoy! |
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