Friday, September 26, 2008

Big Flower

I love cardigans. Seriously, I wear one every single day. I am such a nerd, I know. Anyway, cardigans are comfortable and colorful and make it easy to adjust for temperatures which fluctuate wildly in the law building (some rooms are freezing, others are burning up). But lately, I have been feeling like my cardigans are just a little . . . blah. I don't feel stylish or inspired when I wear one. I need to find a place that makes cute cardigans with embroidery or embellishments or something.

So I decided to experiment in creativity. I bought a flower at a craft store for a buck, cut off the stem with wire cutters, and secured it to the front of my cardigan like a little brooch. Pulled my hair up in a vintage 'do, wore a ruffled shirt underneath, and voila - I had something new and different, reminiscent of 1948. Totally my own style - perfect. At least I thought so.

Then I went to school.

One of the first comments I got was from a professor who asked me why I was wearing an artichoke. Okay, so yes my flower was kind of big. And yes Paul laughed at me when I found it in the first place and teased me that I should rig it to squirt water at people. But an artichoke? Really? After feeling self-conscious all morning and getting 20 or more comments before lunch ("are you going to a wedding or something?" "Hey Amy - oh, um, nice flower"), I decided that it was either time to take my big flower off or it was time to own it.
I decided to own it. And I felt fabulous.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Seriously, So Blessed

If you haven't already seen the blog, "Seriously So Blessed", you must, must, MUST go read it today. It is the absolutely hilarious blog of a Mormon girl who is living the fabulous life in "Zion," and considers herself "seriously, so blessed." Go read it at http://seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com and you will see what I mean.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

I know a lot of you, my friends, are avid readers. Some of you may even have tried your hand at writing stories of your own. So I thought you might be interested in visiting the following blog of a debut author who is married to a friend of mine from law school (and who I have known for ten years now since I was a freshman in college). She has a great blog where she talks about what she is going through as a first time author who signed a four-book deal and will have her first novel, Wings, published early next year. You can read about her experiences and learn more about her book at http://apparentlyaprilynne.blogspot.com/. Plus she often gives reviews of books she has recently read and has great insights based on her experiences as an author.

I have been inspired and amazed at what she has gone through writing and revising her books and have a new appreciation for the books I read. Visit her site and get excited to read Wings when it comes out next year!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Yoga

I am one of the least flexible people on this planet (in more than one aspect of life, let's face it), but I still love Yoga. Sometimes I take myself through poses and stretches on my own as best I know how, and other times I go to classes to feed off the energy and vibes of twenty or thirty other people. Yoga helps me maintain what little flexibility I do have, in addition to being healthful for the spirit. The focus on muscle, breath, heart and mind in meditation is incredibly powerful, almost magical, and I always, always am glad that I took the time to slow down and regain balance in the otherwise crazy-hectic life I choose to live.

I just realized that tonight I have to miss Yoga class because of a Moot Court training I am helping with at the Law School. Namaste.