A YEAR IN REVIEW : 2011

My puppy, Macallen. My favorite part of 2011.

A Year In Review

In January, I spent the first day of the year recovering from a wonderful NYE; Celebrated Shanda's birthday at City House; I started dying my hair from home instead of in a salon, which I had been doing for almost 10 years; I was having a blast working at Francesca's; & the lady friends & I made a night of Adventure Science Center's Way Late Play Date.

In February, it snowed a little; I got stuck while driving in the snow for the first time ever (terrifying!); I planned a mini Valentine's Day party with my bests where we dined at J. Alexanders & saw Bieber's Never Say Never in a big theatre all by ourselves; I pondered moving to Texas; & I started working out alot.

In March, I discovered Two Door Cinema Club & purchased Adele's 21. Both albums spoke so much to my life. They remain two of my favorites; I dyed my hair dark again for the first time in a long time; I wrote a post about my tattoos which continues to be the most popular entry on here; I spent alot of evenings at JJ's Wine Bar; & I landed an unexpected interview with Harley-Davidson.

In April, I kissed my Frannies goodbye & started work at Harley-Davidson; My anxiety got the best of me & became a challenging focal point in my life; I had to say goodbye to my precious pup, Boston. He was such a light in my life; I read Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman & cried like a baby; & I road tripped to Cookeville with my bests to see my first step show. Yep.

In May, I saw my future husband, Tom Jones, in concert; I let go of alot of pain & grief that I had been holding onto for a long time; The ladies & I threw a surprise party for Lauren's boyfriend, David; I went on a mini tweeting hiatus & took part in a 30-day emotional detox; & I attended my first bike show.

In June, I attended a Willie Nelson concert that our shop sponsored; My social life kicked into high gear; I went on my first business trip to Atlanta; Tragic circumstances brought old friends back into my life; & I started goal writing again.

In July, I saw U2 in concert at Vanderbilt; Spent the 4th with my besties watching the fireworks downtown; Purchased my first pair of Wayfarers; Celebrated Lauren's birthday Italian style; Attended the Britney Spears & Nicki Minaj concert; I had big falling out with a boy; I discovered one of my new favorite movies, Harold & Maude; I signed on my house in Nashville & took the leap to live with my two best friends.

In August, I got promoted at work to my current position as general manager; Quickly moved into my new place & then went on vacation; I swam in the ocean for the first time; I purchased my first black (faux) leather jacket; & I had the most EPIC birthday party ever.

In September, I created my 23 Things list; I read Elizabeth Gilbert's Committed & it rocked my world; My parents welcomed a new puppy into the family; & I started drinking Green monsters.

In October, I saw Justin Bieber in the flesh; I celebrated the opening of my bestfriend's little sister's tattoo shop; I started caring about my wardrobe again; I visited a local farm & pumpkin patch; Had an epic Halloween where I dressed as Carol Ann from Poltergeist; & I began my leap into veganism.

In November, I started work on my dream bedroom; We threw a Bros & Hoes party for Kayla's birthday; I fell fast & hard for a dreamer; I celebrated Thanksgiving with family & friends; & I went to ALOT of shows.

In December, I saw my most favorite band, Hall & Oates, at The Ryman; I attended a Christmas party dressed as a Christmas tree; I got a new hairstyle a bit out of my comfort zone but that I'm totally in love with; I reconnected with more old friends; I had a beautiful Christmas with my family + Alexis; I attended even more shows; & I came to my senses.

All in all, I think it was a pretty fantastic, productive, inspiring year. It most certainly had its ups and way down lows, but I came out on top in the end, which I can't really say is true of every year.

I am very much looking forward to everything that 2012 has to offer. Bring on Armageddon!

Click here to read last year's Year In Review!

CHASING

via weheartit

Sometimes you meet someone that inspires you. Sometimes you meet someone that merely peaks your interest. Sometimes you meet someone that shakes you to your core. They evoke feelings inside of you that you have never felt before. That person changes you. Sometimes for a day but sometimes for forever. The only way to be sure is to chase that change. Chase those feelings. Follow them as high or as low as they'll take you. Guard your heart in the process but trust that the world is working in your favor because sometimes the world has no choice. Maybe you're at your all time low, you've lost everything you have to lose. Your faith is shaken and your hope is sparse.

Give trust a try.

& run...don't walk. Don't look back. Don't question your heart's motive or your intuition's ability.

Trust. Chase.

My Vegan Journey : The Leap

I thought I would share a bit of information concerning a recent journey I've been on. That is the journey into Veganism (queue Twilight Zone music).

Let's start from the beginning, shall we? I was raised in a very average American home. Middle America, middle class, nothing to see here. My parents raised my brother & I in the best way possible. My childhood was straight out of a sitcom. Food was probably the last thing on parents' minds in the 80's & 90's. My brother & I ate whatever we pleased. My parents made dinner every night which usually always consisted of some sort of meat, a carb, & lots of veggies. For whatever reason, my brother & I always loved vegetables. We never had to think twice about eating right. I doubt my parents ever thought twice about what went into the food we ate either. It just wasn't a concern at the time. Fast forward a bit...

Enter Food Inc, the documentary that blew the doors wide open on the industrial food industry. I had honestly never thought twice about what I ate until seeing this movie in 2010. It never occurred to me that such atrocities could be going on in the world behind closed doors. I left that movie theatre never wanting to eat again for fear of harming myself, the environment, & every other living creature involved. I knew I couldn't live on a diet of nothing so I began reading everything I could get my hands on concerning the food industry. I read every book written by Michael Pollan, Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet, and the Skinny Bitch series. All of these books center around the food industry's impact on the environment and focus alot on animal cruelty. This lead me (scared me) to go vegetarian for 90 days in 2010. I did this somewhat successfully but became completely overwhelmed with my life at the time & ended up throwing the whole idea to the birds.

About a year later I started researching again, this time with a strong desire to learn the health benefits of eating a meat free diet. I tried to avoid material that centered around the environment and/or the treatment of animals because those statistics are what I believe are the most daunting & heartbreaking. I quite simply just needed a break! I started with Kelly Freston's book, Veganist. This book changed my life. I strongly believe it is the best book to read if you are thinking about going vegetarian or vegan. It is written beautifully & strongly encourages one to lean into the vegan diet, rather than scaring yourself into quitting meat & dairy cold turkey. I read a few other books after this which lead me to watching the docu, Forks Over Knives. This documentary focused solely on the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Bingo. That's when this whole vegan diet idea clicked.

I still have alot of learning & research ahead of me until I can gracefully talk about this subject. These books & movies are packed with statistics, studies, & information that excite, confuse, terrify, & anger me. It's an emotional journey to say the least. I plan on turning My Vegan Journey into a series here on the blog so I can chronicle my path into veganism for my own sake & in hopes of informing & encouraging someone else. For now, I have adopted a vegan diet Monday-Friday. I try to be mindful on the weekend but allow myself meat & dairy. This is what is working for me right now but I do plan on going 100% vegan in the near future. I am also strongly considering going back to school for nutrition & exercise science to learn even more about how diet affects not only your health, but your environment.

In the next post, I'll be writing about these books & documentaries more in depth. Including the statistics that changed my life & the way I think about food & health. Your diet affects absolutely everything in & around you. The information is truly incredible and I can't wait to share more!

WHAT I WORE : GREEN ACRES

shirt - old navy, jeans - f21, boots - steve madden (thrifted), fedora & necklace - francesca's (they're my most favorite pieces in my closet!)

Have I ever mentioned how excited I get when I get to spend time with my bff, Lauren? We actually live together but don't always spend alot of time together since we both have such ridiculously busy schedules. We've been bestfriends for almost 14 years. Fourteen years, people!

Today we (+ her boyfriend, David) spent time at Green Door Gourmet, which is located on a farm in West Nashville. Lauren has some lovely friends who work there. We went on a hayride. Fun was had.

I think a small farm might be in my five year plan. & babies. Does anyone else get mad baby fever around this time of year? Along with seasonal depression? It's an odd combination...

Boating 101

A few weeks ago, my family & I visited Rosemary Beach in Florida. The vacation was much needed by all & welcomed with outstretched arms. We decided to rent a boat for the first time, a pontoon boat to be exact. I have only one memory of being on a boat. A fishing boat of some sort when I was just 7 or 8. My friend Travis got bit by a dolphin. So...that was interesting.

This experience was completely different though. I was extremely nervous when we first arrived. To put it simply, I am terrified of the ocean. I'm not afraid of drowning nor afraid of being eaten by a shark but I am terrified of large, vast things. Big buildings get my heart racing so you can imagine what happens when I stare out into a big, deep body of water.

But once on the boat, I felt pretty comfortable. We rode out to Shell Island, an uninhabited island off the coast. The beach was BEAUTIFUL & the water unlike anything I'd seen before. The bay side of the island was calm with water only waist deep. The gulf side was FULL of shells & sand dollars. We walked the beach & collected a bucketful after having lunch on the boat. My brother snorkeled for a bit & I swam in the middle of the ocean for the first time in my life on our way back. I had been out in the waves before but I had never swam where I couldn't touch. It was invigorating at first, then I got freaked out & promptly swam back to the boat. But hey, atleast I tried!

BEACHGRAMS

I hope everyone is having a fabulous week...because I know I am!
Here are a few stills from vacation so far via Instagram...











1. Our boat trip to Shell Island; 2. View from the beach house; 3. At the beach in my leopard pink bikini; 4. Mango daiquiri; 5. Self portrait while bday shopping; 6. Big brother with a feather rat tail...don't ask; 7. Swimming in the ocean for the first time; 8. A storm rolling in on the beach

I'll be back soon with a post on our boat trip to Shell Island!

MOVING DAY!

Hello, friends!

Sorry if things are a little quiet around here but I am officially in move in mode!

We got the keys today. Can you guess which one is mine?

Lots to do in the next few days!

See ya soon!

WEEKEND WARRIORS

cma fest 2011, free ice & air conditioning, rap battles, margaritas at margaritaville, criss angel look-a-likes, dance parties at the attic, fancy cocktails at merchants, super 8, 3am hangs at greenhouse, bare feet, seeing a guy streak through centennial park...wearing my shoes, montley crue, daisy dukes, SUMMER 2011

This weekend was crazy & I loved every minute of it.

Today, I'm Free. {A word on: Life}

via weheartit

It's rare when I wake up feeling completely refreshed. World War III breaks out every time that alarm clock jolts me to consciousness. "What will today bring? How will I deal? Why am I so tired? Why do I feel so defeated? I wonder if he texted me...No he didn't. How come? Why do I feel so disconnected from everyone? Why is it so quiet? Is the sun up? What on earth am I going to wear? I feel like barfing. Maybe I can call in sick? Will I get in trouble? Why do I feel so terrible? I don't feel pretty. I definitely don't look pretty. I hate my clothes. I hate my hair..." These thoughts completely consume me 24/7. TWENTY FOUR SEVEN, PEOPLE. I think the question I ask myself most is "Am I crazy?"

The answer is no. (I think I'm just slightly moody, prone to depression & maybe a little edgy, self righteous, & judgemental. No big deal.)

This morning was different though. I woke up feeling well-rested, renewed, peaceful, & ready to take on anything. The truth looked me square in the face this morning and I decided to shake it's hand and let go. Life is not about being in control of everything. It's not about making people like you, forcing friends to hang out with you, guilt-tripping others into caring about you. It's not about looking put together every day or saying all the right things to that cute stranger who struck up a conversation with you. It's not about eating perfectly-portioned meals or working out until your butt looks "just right." It isn't about having expensive hair products, expensive shoes, expensive cars, expensive whatever. My mind has been so cluttered with thoughts of how things SHOULD be that I forgot to care about how things ARE. I've become numb to what I actually have to work with, which is alot.

I have a family who supports me more than I've ever dreamed of. I have girlfriends who make me feel better about myself than I ever will. I have guy friends who tell me I look pretty more than a boyfriend ever has. I have a job I love that allows me to be creative, learn new things, & feel more empowered than I ever have. I am healthy. I am able. & I am surely willing to make something of this life that I've been given.

I woke up this morning with different thoughts than the night before. I woke up thinking this...

This is my one shot. To create a beautiful, fulfilling, exciting, adventure-filled life. I'm not going to achieve that life sitting around sulking about all the things that I wish I had. I may not have everything figured out but I have people in my life that care about me. They tell me. They show me. The rest will come. It will surely come.

In conclusion, I'm finished. Finished with the guilt. Finished with the dark thoughts, the self loathing, the grudges & the wounds. From now on it's up, up, up.

And I challenge you to challenge yourself to look at your world a little different. A little soul searching never hurt anyone.

Catch me if you can...

Working for the weekend

My new uniform for work.

(cool Harley Davidson tees!)

This week has been absolutely overwhelming. & it's only Wednesday!

I started by new job with Boswell's Harley Davidson on Monday & I couldn't be more thrilled to be a part of that company. I have a mountain of work ahead of me & alot to learn but I'm definitely up for the challenge. I'll be the visual merchandiser for three of their locations. In order to merchandise properly, I'm having to learn the product from top to bottom. That means learning why one leather jacket is better than another. & learning how power stretch, mesh liners, & zip vents benefit the customer. I'm also learning how a helmet should properly fit, as well as gloves, riding boots, & goggles. It's ALOT. I never knew so much science went into the design of riding clothes.

Merchandising for these customers is a whole other ball game too. I'm used to helping teenage girls select the proper dress to wear to Friday night's football game. Now I'm having to make clothing look appealing to biker dudes. Biker dudes in biker gangs! Biker dudes with biker wives who want cool biker gear! The targer customer is way different than anything I've ever dealt with. I will say though, these guys (& girls) are the friendliest, most warm-hearted, open people. Everyone has welcomed me with open arms. Even the tough guys.

I'll be back tomorrow (on my day off!) with an outfit post & more. :)

A Special Announcement

No outfit to blog today. Thunderstorms & tornados squashed that idea. However, I do have some very exciting news to share! As of April 18th, I will be the official visual merchandiser for Boswell's Harley Davidson of Nashville!

Yowee! I am so excited! I had my final interview on Friday morning & when I was offered the position, I quickly accepted. This will be my first job in my field so I am very, very excited. The position is a brand new one that they are creating just for me so I am really excited to have the opportunity to carve out my own responsibilities. I'll be working at three different locations in Nashville. The company is expecting alot of creativity from me so this job will be really challenging, which is exactly what I need at this point in my life. I couldn't be more excited to start learning a whole new industry. & maybe I'll even learn how to ride a motorcycle...we'll see!

I'll be back later today with the Artist Spotlight, which was supposed to go up yesterday (oops!)

Until then, I'm off to do some spring cleaning & organizing! Go!

Way Late Play Date!

The girls & I attended the Adventure Science Center's 'Way Late Play Date' last night. Whoever they've got coordinating events over there is quite the genius. The place was packed with hundreds of 20-somethings running around like a bunch of children while clutching their plastic cups of Yazoo Pale Ale. We had alot of fun channeling our inner kid & taking silly photos. I left feeling like I had just run a marathon.

The next Way Late Play Date is April 27th.

Will you be joining us!?