#blogtober14 prompts - for the future

I know I missed the boat completely on Taylor and Helene's #Blogtober14, but I do like their prompts.. so I am going to keep them for future reference :) 

Day 1. If you won the lottery you'd 

Day 2. Dream job when you were little/ what is it now?

Day 3. One Thing You Can't Live Without 

Day 4. Favorite Photo You've Posted on Instagram 

Day 5. Your Fall Bucket List

Day 6. 10 Things You'd tell yourself when you started blogging

Day 7. Best/Worst Vacation

Day 8. Letter To Yourself in 10 Years

Day 9. Best or Worst Halloween Memory #TBT

Day 10. I never thought blogging would...

Day 11. If you were president

Day 12. Best advice you've been given

Day 13. Favorite Fall recipe

Day 14. Funniest memory from childhood

Day 15. Favorite quote and why

Day 16. Fall fashion

Day 17. I'm an expert at...

Day 18. Share A Secret About You

Day 19. What makes you happy

Day 20. Your biggest fear

Day 21. Dream Vacation 

Day 22. Your Pet Peeves

Day 23. Favorite instagram editing apps/ or editing tools for your blog

Day 24. One Beauty Product You Can't Live without

Day 25. Favorite book

Day 26. Who'd play you in a movie

Day 27. A Letter to your Younger Self

Day 28. Things You're Superstitious about

Day 29. Most Embarrassing Moment

Day 30. Facts About You

Day 31. Halloween Costume Reveal 

~nikki

when was the last time you astonished yourself?

To try and get back into blogging (...or get into it in the first place), I'm going to start with some thought starter questions (that naturally, I found on Pinterest). I am posting them all here now, with the intention of answering a few each time.. with the hope that it will turn into a habit and the answers may lend to a blog topic/theme. 

Here's hoping! 

ϟ What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
ϟ What’s one thing you’re deeply proud of — but would never put on your résumé?
ϟ What’s the most out-of-character choice you’ve ever made?
ϟ If a mysterious benefactor wrote you a check for $5,000 and said, “Help me solve a problem — any problem!” … what would you do with him or her?
ϟ What’s going to be carved on your (hypothetical) tombstone?
ϟ What are you FREAKISHLY good at?
ϟ What’s one dream that you’ve tucked away, for the moment? How come?
ϟ What are you STARVING for?
ϟ If you could have tea with one fictional character, who would it be?
ϟ Do you have a morning ritual?
ϟ Do you believe in magic? When have you felt it?
ϟ Is there something that people consistently ask for your advice on? What is it?
ϟ Have you ever fantasized about changing your first name? To what?
ϟ When was the last time you astonished yourself?
ϟ What’s your personal anthem or theme song?
ϟ Do you ever yearn for your life, before Facebook?
ϟ What’s your definition of an ideal houseguest?
ϟ If you had an extra $100 to spend on yourself every week, what would you do?
ϟ If you could sit down with your 15-year old self, what would you tell him or her?
ϟ What are you BORED of?
ϟ What’s the best birthday cake you ever ate?
ϟ How do you engage with panhandlers on the street?
ϟ Do you think LOVE is chemical, intellectual, spiritual — or completely undefinable?
ϟ Have you ever dreamed about starting a business? (Or if you’ve already got one — a new business?)
ϟ Are you afraid of flying in airplanes? (How come?)
ϟ What’s your most urgent priority for the rest of the year?
ϟ If you could master any instrument on earth, what would it be?
ϟ Have you ever been genuinely afraid for your physical safety?
ϟ What are you an expert on? Is it because of training, lived experience, or both?
ϟ Has a teacher ever changed your life? How so?
ϟ Are there any household chores you secretly enjoy? Which ones — and why?
ϟ How do you reign in self-critical voices?
ϟ If you could custom blend a perfume or cologne, what would it include?
ϟ What does FEAR feel like, in your body?
ϟ Do you think you’re currently operating at 100% capacity?
ϟ What do you value most: free time, recognition, or money?
ϟ If you could save one endangered species from extinction, which would you choose?
ϟ Are there any laws or social rules that completely baffle you?
ϟ Would you like to write a book? (About what?)
ϟ If you could choose your own life obstacles, would you keep the ones you have?
ϟ Have you ever SCREAMED at someone? (What did they do?)
ϟ Do you think there’s going to be an anti-technology whiplash, in our lifetime?
ϟ Where + when do you get your BEST IDEAS?
ϟ Have you ever met one of your HEROES?
ϟ What’s in your fridge, right this moment?
ϟ Can you tell when someone is LYING?
ϟ Can you tell when someone is telling the TRUTH?
ϟ Have you ever pushed your body further than you dreamed possible?
ϟ Are you living your LIFE PURPOSE — or still searching?
ϟ Have you ever had to make a public apology? (How come?)
ϟ What’s the WORST piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
ϟ Do you think we’re designed for monogamy? (Why or why not?)
ϟ How do you CELEBRATE your victories?
ϟ Would you consider yourself an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert?
ϟ Do you ever hunt for answers or omens in dreams?
ϟ Do you think everyone has the capacity to be a LEADER?
ϟ Is WAR a necessary EVIL?
ϟ Are YOU a starter, a finisher, or an implementer?
ϟ Have you ever unplugged from the Internet for more than a week?
ϟ Do you think we should live like we’re dying?
ϟ Do you have any habits or quirks you wish you could ERASE?
ϟ What was the most AGONIZING hour of your life?
ϟ Have you ever dramatically changed a habit, or gotten yourself out of a rut? How’d you do it?
ϟ Would you rather be a lonely genius, or a sociable idiot?
ϟ How would YOU fix the economy?
ϟ What was your very first JOB?
ϟ What brings you SHEER DELIGHT?
ϟ Are you highly useful in a CRISIS?
ϟ Do you like to be SAVED — or do the saving?
ϟ What’s one mistake you keep repeating (and repeating)?
ϟ If you were heading out on a ROAD TRIP right this minute, what would you pack?
ϟ Do you have any irrational fears?
ϟ When you see peers + competitors getting things you want, how do you react?
ϟ If you were to die three hours from now, what would you regret most?
ϟ What’s something you’ve tried, that you’ll never, ever try again?
ϟ If you could enroll in a PhD program, with your tuition paid in full by a mysterious benefactor, what would you study — and why?
ϟ Have you ever had a complete + total nervous breakdown? (How did you recuperate?)
ϟ Have you ever set two friends up on a date? (How did it go?)
ϟ Have you ever questioned your FAITH — or lack thereof?
ϟ What’s your recipe for recuperating from extreme heartbreak?
ϟ Have you ever had a psychic reading? Did you believe it? Was it accurate?
ϟ Have you ever (actually) kept a New Year’s Resolution?
ϟ Have you ever met someone who was genuinely EVIL?
ϟ Do you believe that everyone deserves redemption + forgiveness?
ϟ What was the BEST KISS of your entire life?
ϟ Do you secretly miss Polaroid cameras?
ϟ Do you have any physical features that you try to cloak or hide? How come?
ϟ What makes YOU so special, anyway? (No, really.)
ϟ What’s in your pocket (or purse, or man-purse) right now?
ϟ Ever fantasize about being in a rock band? What would your group be called?
ϟ What’s your guiltiest of guilty pleasures?
ϟ Who’s on your panel of imaginary mentors?
ϟ Have you ever stolen anything? (Money, candy, hearts, time?)
ϟ When was the last time you saw an animal in the wild?
ϟ What’s the hardest thing you ever had to write — and why?
ϟ Who’s the last person that deeply disappointed you? (What happened?)
ϟ Have you ever won an award? What was it for?
ϟ How long can you (comfortably) go without checking your emails or texts? How do you feel about that?
ϟ What do you deserve + get to receive, no matter what?
ϟ What are you ready to set into motion, today?

a mind-blowing video.

This video is fascinating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM

combating terrible tuesdays. or, finding joy in the little things.

since historically tuesdays are my least favorite day of the week (i often call it tuesday iLoseday...) i thought i would take this opportunity to take a few minutes to find joy in the normal, everyday blessings. so i posted a few things to start with a while back, so i am going to add a few things to that list today. 

• going through old photo albums (specifically of the college variety)
• introducing friends to your favorite neighborhood spots
• catching up with friends after long periods of not seeing each other
• a good nights sleep
• all things glitter/shiny
• summer months - i am appreciating them very much right now during the snowstorm saturn...
• unexpected but welcomed and positive distractions
• early morning smiles [mc]

xo

nikki

high five for friday!

thanks to the inspiration from mags, i'm going to kick this blog back off today with "high five for friday". linking up for the first time with lauren for h54f!   

1. getting pictures this week of my favorite "niece and nephew", olivia and owen! always brightens a day.

2. found this great gem, and i think it applies to my life in so many ways. don't let otheres get me down, and the obviously love for all things sparkly.

3. so incredibly excited for this girls visit this weekend. bestie time. the best part about it is that she is bringing her college photo album so we can laugh our butts off at our college freshman selves!

4. hanging out with this guy this week. i have missed him so! we had a date day adventure and explored new areas that we have never been in chicagoland (evanston and andersonville).

5. an outfit of the day instagram - spring inspired style! i got a lot of compliments at work and that was definitely a good feeling.

hopefully you will start seeing more consistent posts on this little ole' blog of mine!

xo

nikki

2013 goals...or, when i started blogging again

okay, i know it is january 3^rd and i am just now posting my goals for the year, but this is kind of like my re-introduction back into the land of blogging, and i wanted to make sure that they were the goals i wanted to and could actually reach this year. in the past i've really set unattainable, pie-in-the-sky “i’m going to do EVERYTHING” goals. so with that said, my goals and a brief explanation are below.

in 2013, i will: 

lose weight to the point that i feel good about myself (eating clean, working out 3-4x per week)
OK, so i’m right there along with everyone else on this one. but i have two weddings to stand up in this year and i want to look and feel good. and in all honesty, it’s more about how i feel instead of how i look. i got to a point last year where I felt so much better in my clothes, and my confidence was better. i’m never going to be a size 2, and that’s okay. i want to be a good size for myself and stop making excuses for not exercising!

get my finances in a better order
don’t get me wrong. my finances are in a decent place. however, i feel like i need to make a better budget for myself and follow it. i want to build up my savings in a better place. finally pay off that stupid loan that i regret taking out every day of my life. but i want it to be paid off and done; there isn't really a reason that it shouldn't be.

 read 'the happiness project'
i’m reading this with a friend, and we decided we would start this book in the new year, back in december. i acquired the book over Christmas with one of the many gift cards i had stock piled. i’m not an unhappy person and i don’t want to be bitter, but towards the end of 2012, i was. i want to do things that make me happy and work towards figuring out what that is. it doesn’t have to be big…i want to make sure that i can still see the good in the every day. so what if my life isn’t the same as everyone i grew up with back in michigan? So what if i am not married with 2.4 kids and a white picket fence? my life isn't the same as their lives and we are on different paths. hopefully someday i will find the man to call my own, but for now, i need to enjoy the hand i've been dealt. but some days I need the reminder to not let it get me down.

take a class for fun
i’ve wanted to take a class for a while now, just have never committed. i’ve wanted to take a photography class for a LONG time… and was amplified when i went to europe this year and one of the girls had an amazing camera, and took great photos. (first i need to acquire a camera!!) i started looking up italian classes here since i came home from europe and fell in love with the language while in italy. i think i just need something that will enrich my life; something to have and do on a regular basis outside of work.

figure out what i want to do with the rest of my life
i don’t know if i can do this for the rest of my life.. i feel like i need to figure out what will make me happy longer term so i can get a jump on that.  and where? i've always wanted to live in san francisco. Why shouldn't I do that when I don’t have any real “roots” (read: boyfriend, husband, etc) and have the opportunity to move across the country without too much upheaval?

 be more intentional with my friendships
since i have said sayonara to facebook, i need a better way to maintain my friendships. and, since we are being honest, facebook is not a great way to maintain friendships, even though a lot of people treat it that way. this is one of the main reasons i quit in the first place (in addition to the obvious privacy issues. so to do that, i want to do two things:

          1. talk to 2 friends each week (on the phone)
          2. send a card or letter or little treat to a friend each month


blog (at least) 3x per week
let’s be honest, right now this blog isn’t really a blog. it’s got 5 posts and 11 page views (all of which are me). but i want to blog three times a week. even if i don’t have anything that important or great to say. because it’s a creative outlet and probably if i start blogging again, even through the times that it seems like i don’t have that much to say, i’m hoping that it will give me more ideas about what to blog about, and then it will start coming more naturally. (here’s hoping..)

wash my hair less (3-4x per week depending on events)
my hairstylist scolds me every time i come into the salon. “you’ve been washing your hair every day. stop.” i need to take better care of my hair and both the shampooing and the heat styling that inevitably follows that is a major culprit. i want to “embrace the mess” – via messy.dirty.hair.  - challenge accepted.

in 2013, i will not: 

change who i am to make someone else happy
let a bad day make me feel like i have a bad life
let stress and worry get the best of me
forget to see the good things in each day
dwell on the past 

there you have it. these are my goals for the year. i guess not really goals per-say, but things i would really like to improve upon. now that they are written in stone on the interwebs/blogosphere, i guess i have to do everything on this list :)

xxoo
nikki

Choices, Chances, Change

The 3 C's of Life: 

You make a Choice 

to take a Chance

or your life will never Change