February Catchup

Good Afternoon, Monday!
I'd like to take a minute or two and discuss briefly my past couple years on ' thewaywelaugh.'
I have loved having my own personal internet space. Knowing people are visiting & reading my aimless thoughts, is the little tiny bit of secular fulfillment that my ego needs every here & there. And this isn't a "It's been nice to know you, so goodbye" post. Definitely staying.

(*applause*?)

Just wanted to say "Hi, thank you SO gratefully, and please keep comfy."

I think now I've "remodeled" my website 3 times over the last couple years, just to keep things fresh. I did so again last Tuesday & I would like to hear your thoughts, if you noticed ;] ...

I've made some specific dedications on here in the past & this heartfelt post will be no different. Laughing is a cure to me. And to be honest, I haven't had as many good, hearty laughing sessions as I have needed in the last 6 months. I've had a relatively rough time adjusting to big-kid life, accepting some changes I've had to make, & leaning on certain people that I never expected to open up to. Into my life again, walked a woman that has both walked in & out of my life numerous times. Our friendship has transcended rationale. We've fought hard, we've cried together, we agree often & we have often agreed-to-disagree. For one, or a billion reasons, our friendship has reunited & glued us together for eternities that we'll never understand. But since the airing of the Disney Classic The Fox & The Hound, our mutual agreement upon the following lines couldn't be easier:

- "We'll always be friends forever, won't we?"

- "Yeah, forever."

That seals the deal. So Kelly, thank you for everything. Your sly humor, your teasing, your generosity, advice, hard-knock-love and your hugs when I've needed a lift so badly. They've meant more than all our growing mistakes. I will always support you in whatever you allow me to, & be there, for whatever new circumstance approaches your life. I can't wait for lots of years and more life shared with you, my ultimate best friend.

There have been numerous others as well, who have been there to share an insightful viewpoint, shake a finger at my mouth, and/or just hear me out when asked: "So how ARE you?"  And those particular ones who have been "granted" "the golden nugget of my friendship"... I thank you also. Heavily.

Katie(You just are the best kind of friend material. I love how easily you make me laugh. Don't stop.)
Mariah R.(You quickly shake me down into a condensed, more ideal version of myself)
Abby(You support me through anything, & tell me how it is, too)
Marino(You aren't afraid to yell at me when I need it, & keep me realistic. Huge respect, friend.)
Adam(You manage to still love me, even though I'm not the ideal family member)
Courtney(You GET me. And you always will. Couldn't deny that if I tried)
Patrick(Best brother ever, you keep me distracted exactly when I need it),

...these have all been little rocks along my way of instability. And a few others that I can't mention. You know who YOU are. And you're still here reading, which continues to prove your support & concern.

Everyone? Sincerely, I love you.


love, bex

Let's Discuss Defenses

http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/2011/06/im-bored-of-my-bullsht-defenses-im-shedding-my-bark/

This seems about right.

:)

Right? Right.

Have a great(hot!!!) Tuesday, loves.

<3, bex

bloom.

I saw a moving picture
a little red head girl was entranced by the sight of an unfolding orange flower.
That is how I feel, most days.


discovering things I thought I knew,
discovering me, in different ways.


I am picky, I am inconsistent.
I want everything, while I want nothing but honesty.


I betrayed you. I was keeping my options open,
when I told you it was wrong...
and now I, twice burned myself
and reach back for a third- 
and the flame is gone.
Why?
I am the one who turned it off.
Why am I sad?


So I write.
And I will keep doing this until
I have figured it out. Which,
won't happen... I've already smoldered the struggling spark.


-------------------------------------------------------------------

New Paper

I enjoy typing. But more than typing, I enjoy w-r-i-t-i-n-g.
....Do any of you remember what that looks like?

I got a new notebook yesterday, for school... but I of course, had to christen the first page with a little doodle.

What'd you do, on your scary Monday?

Monday's don't seem so bad to me now that I have school again... I know that sounds backwards, but it's only because Monday class is simply an hour of taking notes on a Power Point presentation that my "teacher" talks over. Basically, he could email them to us, and I could sleep in more... :P Just a suggestion.

Anyway, back to my normal font size...This last week was a long one, for me. Lots of helping friends(not bad, just emotionally-demanding...) with issues, lots of waiting and waiting and WAITING for the right thing to come along :] Lots of travel; which automatically makes me ready for bed x) The actual traveling part is exciting, but when I'm done, I realize my body needs a rest(don't gotta tell ME twice).

This weekend, I am off to Seattle to finish my big 50 hours of volunteer-work for the month, and to meet lots of new people! I can't wait! It will be rewarding and fulfilling and I can't wait to have some sushi with no seafood in it. I know, I'm weird ;)

Be safe, loves. Travel responsibly, and be honest with your best friend when he/she asks: "Grrrrl, you think mah butt gettin' BIG??"

<3, bex.

ps. I got acupuncture today and it wasn't half bad. See? I'm still alive :)

I said, Good day to YOU!!!

Tuesday Cheer Up

Guess what!
You are beautiful.

True story, see? :)
Enjoy your Tuesday, kittenfaces.

xoxo, Bex...

Dove Says...

ahh, missed it!

still learning :)

MMkay, looks like I'll keep on, keepin' on.

love xox, bex :)

Keep your eyes to the sky, babydoll.

Do you ever feel like you've forgotten yourself?
Do you occasionally forget things that matter to you? You forget your way, your routines, and your favorite FOOD?? Okay, maybe not that last one.

'Cause maybe you've been so focused on one thing- even unknowingly- that everything else just blurred into the background. Now you gotta clean all that crap off the walls. I feel like I forgot my motivation. 

I have things to do. It's not keeping busy that will be a problem, it's just a cloud hanging over me for a while. I just will have a hard time enjoying myself, even when I smile.

I know what I'm capable of, and I'm not fulfilling that right now.

I love my friends so much, even tho at times I take for granted at the moment, the dedication they show in return. I'm not giving up being the person that I am, I deserve a lot, just like you do. I'm just waiting for it to grow back to me, now.

right now:

these colors are nice. my smile is not happy.

churlish(1), reserved/demure(2), cynical(3)

AKA... no one's having fun.

I need to be here:

where I was promising.

goofy(1), content(2), smitten(3)

AKA Myself...

Have yourselves a fantastic little weekend, troops. Keep truckin' thru the hard stuff, and keep coming back :) things will begin to glow again. 

"keep your eyes to the sky, babydoll"

-probably the best piece of advice I've heard in a while-

xox bex...<3

A Certain Brand of Sad

I highly enjoyed this article. Sarah Wilson is a very inspiring writer, who... a LOT of my bloggy-web-friends read. Not that they realize even, they are my "friends"... Take that how you will. lol..

>>Brand of Sad<<

She addresses the point that 'sad' really is different than 'depressed.' Sometimes you've been in one category for so long, tho that you begin to wonder if it's not normal. I know I have, and I've shared that with many of you. Thank you readers, for coming back :) You're one of a kind to put up with my crazy ranting, and my calm-spirited articles, alike... haha.

<3 May sweet things happen to you today :)

Good Morning Friday Creatures!

Aren't you all just THRILLED to be finally ascending into our Friday atmosphere???
Ohhh ME[as my grandpa used to say!]...

I am so ready for Friday, that I wrote this poem while in line for coffee this morning:

"A random lady in line smiled at me,

waiting in another line.

She had 'truly happy' painted

on her face; I recognized it

because it reflected my own."

I'm not tryin' to get all sappy on ya ;) BUT I am having a happy Friday. Hopefully work doesn't kill my buzz. (Uhh, jk??) What do you dovefaces have planned for this weekend? On Saturday here in the Great(capitalized??) Northwest, it's supposed to be a low of 30 and VERY wet, Aka: "YOU'LL BE FROZEN EVEN ON THE INSIDE YOUR BONES, SO YOU BETTER WEAR A SCARF LIKE GRANDMA ALWAYS TOLD YOU."

And now I am going to make fun of Twilight. Ready? GO! 

Possibly the best website I've seen in a long time. Ha! This girl is hilarious. 

And her love for all things properly punctuational(YEAH that IS a word) makes my heart SWOON.

Well, I'm still searching for the PERFECT gloves to send my blog-swap Buddy, Amanda!!(See Cold Hands, Warm Hearts promo) If you have any recommendations, send them my way. I can always be found at zomgitsfriday[at]gmail[dot]com

Who's been keeping up with Conan??? 

TELL ME HOW AWESOME IT'S BEEN! I have missed it :(

Love you, muffins! Have a safe, fresh and frilly weekend!

xo bex....

ZOMGitsfriday!! :)

AREN'T YOU EXCITED?! ITS FRIDAY!!!!!!
Me too, I can barely sit still!!

Ok so no making fun of me, but I watched Pee Wee's Big Adventure the other night. Alone. "HA-HA!" Dude, its a classic, get over it.

But I found this picture on the interwebz this week. Entertaining YES! Photo Credit!
HA I just laughed at myself, cause I typed an "x" instead of a "z" just now, and it reminded me of that one time I said "X, as in Zebra!" over the phone at work. Haha, somedays my brain does hurt, yes... how did you know??

    SO DOVEFACE. I wanted to talk to you about Endurance. It happens to be a VERB, which implies ACTION. Are you listening to me??
    Dictionary.com defines it as: "to hold out against; sustain without impairment or yielding; undergo." I am training for a RACE. Yes the kind you actively do like... cardio... in. I'm not jogging(HA! Run? Right.) in it to actually try and win or anything, but I AM in it to endure. The entire length of the run I'm participating in, is a 5K which is 3.1 Miles- here in the Good 'Ole U.S of A. AND BOY OH BOY, its been HOT the last couple days. We're talking 91 degrees with slight humidity from rain we had a few nights previous. DUDE this is Washington. I don't want to toot anyone's horn but my own... BUT I have to admit, we've had a couple days of rain this year(granted: one day blends into the next, when the rain gets going; a month could seem like a few days. Just bare with). BACK TO ENDURANCE, ya topic-drifter!!
     My point is this. Life is tough. Its promised to be. If you don't BUCK UP & keep that smile on your face, you're gonna try & whine about someone else ruining things for you. And you know what?? Its probably your own fault.
    So my advice to people that I care about, is this. 
* When you get cut off in traffic, just politely wave & yell "You're welcome!" (remember that smile!)
* When you splatter coffee on white jeans, BLOT-DON'T-RUB. WITH HOT WATER! 1st a wet towel. Then a dry one.
* When a loved one is sick, keep them positive, keep them laughing, keep them smiling. They'll appreciate the mood-lifter.
* When your dog runs off, don't panic. Don't scream at someone else for leaving the door open. Just go out with treats & a flashlight, & clap/whistle/whatever. Call them w/an inviting tone that soothes them to come back to you. As a matter of fact, use a calm tone with everyone that you need back into your life...
* Apologize to people. For being in the way, for mumbling a question, for being late, for being too early EVEN! You should mean it, tho. Empty words echo. People can hear empty sentences bang and shiver on the floor like metal mixing bowls on tile. I. am. not. kidding.

(side note for ZOMG: cinnamon buns ZOMG, pecan pie ZOMG, New Zealand sunsets ZOMG (talk about earth meets sky), Old Books!! ZOMG.) I love these things. Too bad I don't have a SINGLE one!! >: (

My point here? Jay-kay happyface! You get the point. So here's an idea: Email me! What do you do when you're down? Do you have any good pick-me-up's? Or Do you have any questions you'd like answered, practically? 
I'm good at practical :) 
I'm also good at listening. Believe it or not :)
Must sleep now kittens. Leave your feedback. And maybe next time I'll bring crackers & cheese. You know I am a vegetarian. WHAT?! You didn't? hmm... That's for next Friday, then!
xoxo sleep tight.
<3 BEX*

Monday

I don't know what to do with myself. =/

I'm eating dried apricots & yeah don't ask...

   As I stumble around the office today, blustery indoors somehow... (why am I blustery today, anyway?) I tripped across the carpet, in my heels. Yay.
   The solid-grey backdrop to the robustly-lime shade tree out front, cheers me up only a little, because the week has YET to smack me in the face. But I would like to try and cheer someone ELSE up.... so HERE is the poetism I promised you yesterday. Yes, it was like 1am, and usually I would consider that a Saturday night, but lets just pretend for the sake of the forbiddenly scary Monday it is, that I haven't procrastinated....

....

"Whats to even say about the loss of sleep

about the restless tossing, the untucking of sheets?

Whats to add, to prove this clear?

that wine doesn't comfort when you're not here?

I thought it was simple, no converse for the seven

But its only been three, and its feels like eleven...

This ink, my escape, the only one I've told

about my sunken treasure or the reason I glow.

People are fickle, they just wander about

changing on whims, and ignoring the clouds.

So I tell my secrets to my fingertips and pen

and watch what happens again and again.

When my hands and the pen agree on a line

I've been sitting and watching for quite a long time.

So whilst I do wait, and remember your face

your smile sincere, your features I trace...

The words on my paper form a picture so well,

I stare, and OH how I wish I had someone to tell!

And I'm looking at you, and hope you're missing me

as badly in dreaming as I need you to be."

happiness

CLICK here for the link
cute :)
 surviving the world (dot) net!  <3 this site.

Ladies!! Listen Up!!!

http://operationbeautiful.com/

or if you happen to be a gentleman with low-self esteem, you hear me too!! :)
Check this website. Lets tell each other how beautiful we are- What Say YOU!?

You are beautiful, reader!! Remember that, and smile about it too ;)

xoxo<3red*

hmmm

Good things never last, but the Great ones always will... So I thought quietly today.

The thick white mass above does not mean snow.
Nor does the pitch black slick below mean its the end.

Inside an envelope... the screaming, the confetti of a graceful disaster
While I dream about being shaken inside til I can
recognize what I'm really doing...
You though, are not wondering. You are the same somehow.
That is wonderful! Do you know just how wonderful?
But I cannot pretend I will be the same.
I wish I could. I hurt trying to be the same...
Its not becoming continuous, I wish so badly I was constant.

I laugh at myself... and watch the cuteness IMMEDIATELY!!

I know, I'm sorry! Its been almost a week since I've posted! Just ask the BF- I said outloud last Saturday: "I need to post something today!" But I was completely blank in mind(shocker!)... and apparently its Tuesday, so I *also* ran out of time...

But I did find a splendid little thing....PUPPIES. on camera... LIVE! snugggling, coo-ing, kicking in their precious little sleep. So cute, you wanna CRY! Yeah. I know. look!! Ultimate happiness!!
I WISH I HAD HOURS TO WATCH THEM.... omg.

Also last week- I've been wanting to tell you about this- I found this REALLY great website. This New Zealand(she lives in NY I think) girl's blog who has wonderful articles on all-things-GIRL....check it out if you are a girl[I assure you you'll find something she says very touching]. Also the site is in the "places I have been" list on the right ....>>But the article I want to share with you ... no longer exists. SORRY! Very Motivational! A Pick-Me-Up-Please for the greyyyyy weather we've been shuffling thru.

So I was laughing at myself for my last post on the "discussion" of red vines, twizzlers, skittles etc(see comments).... I wondered at myself~ did I really get upset that someone "disliked" red vines?? ~yes. well not entirely... I mean, I thought it was silly, but still replyed to whoMever it was that is hatin' on redvines. teeeheeee!! I see sunshine!! Must let it soak into my freckles... this moment! TTYL my lil beings, stay bold!

XOXO

"Being Right" - A (late) Study From Last Saturday's Poll

While we're talking about being happy...

Oh don't act like this bores you! ;) I'm clarifying something, here...

We all have an inclination and desire for happiness- whether it be a choice you've made(yes I agree, commenter-of-last-post, it CAN be a choice), or its something you've struggled to achieve, for one reason or another. I hate to be static about ANY one particular subject, but... Some people I know have genetic obstacles that don't mentally ALLOW them to just be happy whenever they wish. I have a terrible envy but also gratefulness for the people who have the ABILITY(yeah- It scientifically IS an ability) to choose for themselves whenever and however they please to be happy. Why grateful? Because sometimes those people make my day :]

sidenote: [...Click HERE for a really cool youtube video regarding our future as a whole & planet Earth...]

Moving on! Hooray for subject changes!!!

I promised you an article about BEING RIGHT. And here are my findings...I researched how people in general feel about "being right" and also conducted a poll- that you may have participated in(thanks to you!!) The options for answering were(in not the same order):
a.) Often Enough     (20%)
b.) Never                  (0%)
c.) Not enough        (0%)
d.) ALWAYS             (80%)
I don't know about you, but this screams to me that we have awfully large opinions of ourselves! Yes? Teehee! It makes me laugh to think that I took it seriously enough to be the only one to answer A. Maybe you think its funny, or maybe you find it offensive that 4 out of 5 people have the audacity to view themselves always correct.
Chances are, if you find it offensive... you're right. At least in your own eyes ;)

I found a REALLY great article on a "life coach" website. Here are the points that I found jumped out at me the most:

"Have you ever attempted to reason with a child who knows everything? It’s their way or no way at all. They simply cannot understand the concept of another person’s point of view. Children go through a stage where they are extremely self-absorbed. Everything is mine and they will not share. The world revolves around their desires and needs. This is a normal stage of childhood where the child is asserting their individuality and independence. The problem arises when the behavior is carried over into adulthood.

People Who Have a Need to be Right
People who need to be right have little patience for others. They perceive their ideas as the right way to do things and their viewpoints as the right way to think. A differing opinion is a direct affront to their sense of well-being and they become extremely aggressive in their defense of themselves. They tend to alienate others due to their insistence on being ‘right’. The importance of the issue in question doesn’t seem to have any relevance. " (written by Shelley Stile)

By the way- I italicized that sentence about it being carried into adulthood. Anyway, being a fairly neutral person I happen to agree with her piece. I couldn't have written it better. And thats my say for today! Short and sweet, people. Gotta go do stuff... you know, like...butting into conversations and blurting my opinions regardless of others' sharp looks of disapproval... ;) Try & have a sunny day, no matter what the weather is like!
xoxo - Red*

My New Motto

Hey People! :)

Today... I have discovered a new positive side of myself. The weather throws me off. I have up's and down's during this time of the year- if you feel the same- I'm with you. But I walk myself thru it, and I came upon a wonderful line of photography today that gave me a fresh breath of air for this season. Here is the first picture I found.

Tell me that is not beautiful. I want it in massive-sized with like.. a glowy light behind it, so you can capture every morsel of how beautiful it is. THEN I saw this picture in the same line...

And I thought... "the saying is- 'Stop and smell the flowers' - but instead of looking down at the flowers, why isn't everyone looking UP at the beautiful sky!?" And it dawned on me.

I had just created a motto for my life :)

Do you have a saying, that refreshes you? I have many scriptures that come to mind, but

this did it for me today.

"Stop to smell the roses, but look up to breathe the sky"