Select Page

Songs for a cloudy day

We’re finally transitioning from summer to fall here in Minnesota.  As much as I love love love our perfect summers, there is something somewhat magical about this time in Minnesota as well.  I think is has to do with the fact you don’t have to wear 34723942 layers of clothes to stay warm and the colors and light are just beautiful.  (Note to self: schedule time soon to make a drive to capture some fall colors on film and SD card)

Woke up today to a cloudy and somewhat overcast day, and dare I say it crisp, day.  It was a far cry from the 80 degrees and sunny we had yesterday, but is still lovely in it’s own way.  Since I will be stuck inside most of the day doing a lot of work I figured I should create a playlist that would reflect the change in weather.  Not only did I succeed in doing this, I also succeed in wanting to go back to bed and just hunker down under my uberwarm comforter.

Luckily I overcame this obstacle (through the use of copious amounts of coffee) and persevered to have quite a productive morning on a number of fronts.  Aaaand, as a bonus it’s no longer ubercloudy!

That being saiad, I’m still listening to my Cloudy Day list since it needs to be cultivated for the winter ahead.  A little bit ago “That Wasn’t Me” by Brandi Carlile came on, and as is usual for me, the lyrics just resonated with me.  Lyrics are posted below and you can listen to it here.

(more…)

If I had $1,000,000. . .

Or much, much more, what would you do with it?

Buy a new car?  Never work another day?  Travel the world?  Volunteer for a favorite cause?  Give it all away?  Invest?  Keep your life the way it is?

I know I’ve uttered the phrase, “If I won the lottery, I’d. . . ” more often then I care to admit.  Often times the ending of that statement depends on my mood or the situation.  Sometimes it may be to move to Australia, buy a new car, travel, or go on a shopping spree.  Other times it will be that I’d donate some, do something for friends and family or something along those lines.

These answers reflect my wants, interests, needs.  These are things that will make me happy (or so I think), more comfortable, or add value to my life.

What is stopping me – or any of us – from at least indulging in a version of these wishes?  Why are we writing them off as something that can only be accomplished with the prerequisite of having loads of money or time?

Why not do them now?  If these are things that truly are important to us, why wait? 

(more…)

Say

Have no fear for givin’ in
Have no fear for givin’ over
You better know that in the end
It’s better to say too much
Than to never to say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shakin’
And your faith is broken
Even as the eyes are closin’
Do it with a heart wide open 

Say what you need to say

– John Mayer “Say”

Often times I find that song lyrics provide me the words that I can’t find on my own – it could be something that describes a mood I’m in, my views on a situation, or words I want to say to someone.  Regardless of where the words come from, we should never be afraid to share them.  Make sure you tell someone that you care about them, that you value them, that you appreciate what the bring to your life – you never know when they won’t be around anymore.

(more…)

Heat wave!

Bust out the tshirts and flip-flops – it was in the 30s today in Minnesota!

I took advantage of the warm up to take advantage of a few things and spend some time outside. I honestly cannot remember the last time I was outside and not shivering without 484 layers in.

First order of business was taking Scout to the dog park. I think he could tell it was warm outside and was a bundle of energy all morning. I got him suited up and in the car to head off to the dog park. This was exactly what he needed. He pretty much ran for an hour straight.

Next up was the battle of the snowbank blocking the walkway by my house. This has been there since the first big snow storm and with the uber cold, there was little we could do. Jason decided to tackle it, and with the combination of a shovel, ice melt, a baseball bat and a hammer we were able to clear a path! Mr Florida did most of the work in just a tshirt an jeans. He’s totally turning into a Minnesotan.

I’m looking forward to warmer temps for the next week or so, but not looking forward to possibly getting water in the basement. Joys of homeownership…..

toby copy small