Home, Sweet, Home.

This blog is one part shameless photography self-promotion and one part 'as wonderlusty as I get, DAMN I love the Twin Cities." Seen above are some of the best pics (in my own opinion) that I feel I've taken this winter of Minnesota in it's glory.

International Women's Day

For most of my life I didn't even know there was an International Women's Day. Hell, for most of my life I didn't even know what feminism was. I knew that I had female role models that I saw as almost untouchably strong, and I knew that most of the people I admired were strong women (or really great artists, but that's neither here nor there). As I got older, a lot of my education and reading really started sinking in and I now proudly own my brand of feminism.

As such, International Women's Day has a profound affect on me. I don't think that women should celebrate in the traditional way-with booze, cake, and questionable mixed company. Those can certainly be parts of your day, but the best way to honor the women who paved the way (and are still working their asses too pave the way, because face it, it ain't 100% equal yet! Far from it!) is by being awesome. Work hard at your job. Continue harvesting those quality relationships of any gender. Dress to impress yourself, no one else. Love yourself. This is what the women who lived, worked, loved, and died so that you could do even better for yourself really want; to know that it was worth it.

In addition to turning up my already fairly high awesome factor a few notches, I also plan on meditating on the triumphs, loves, and lives of the women I admire, so feel free to take a few minutes of the day to be the same; remember though, that what they want, what they worked so hard for, was for you to try to pull their strength and power into yourself.

Feel free to share some of your "power women" that make you inspire you to work harder, accomplish something, and love yourself. Mine include but are absolutely not limited too Eleanor Roosevelt, Eve Ensler, Joan of Arc, and a handful of real-life women. More on that later :)

Peace, passion, and love.

Intention is Everything.

Confession: While many of you may have gathered this, I read a lot of blogs. Probably too many. I have narrowed it down to the ones that touch me the deepest, inspire me the most, or crack me the hell up. However, I've read so many that by now, many even amazing entries have little to no affect on me; there may be a few helpful hints, but nothing that makes me choke on my coffee. Until now.

Danielle LaPorte writes about self-actualization, self-love, and sometimes just writing and speaking. I always enjoy her blog, but this morning, this article DID make me choke on my coffee, and shook something inside of me that I think I've been trying to get too on my own...but didn't quite make it.

Peace, passion, and love.

National Women's History Month

There's a lot of anti-feminism in the news as of late, and it's been driving me batty. I don't want to use my blog as a political platform, and I don't want to be grumpy on the internet. Still, there are certain organizations, often organized by women themselves, that would like us to forget that this is National Women's History Month, that deny that women are still struggling to be recognized as equals, and who think feminists are the cause of their own unhappiness. It's enough to make me scream. Luckily, I stumbled upon this amazing website, ACTUALLY donated to Women's History Month. It's poignant, interactive, and my new obsession. There are profiles of everyone from some of the world's most famous women to the grandmother's of people you've never heard of. The best part? You can add your own story/your mother's story/your grandmother's story/etc./etc. Click here to honor the pioneering and influential women of yesterday and today.

Okay, I Want to Be My Own Best Friend...But How?

I got some really good feedback from my blog post about being your own best friend, which made me super happy. A lot of people said it hit close to home, which makes me even happier! My blog audience right now, is mostly friends and family so a lot of feedback comes to me in texts and IM's, or personal e-mails/Facebook/etc. One thing even a lot of people close to me said was that they wanted more a) of that type of blog, and b) ways to really drill self-love into their heads and lives. It mostly comes down to taking care of yourself and then giving yourself treats; much like you would a close friend or spouse. Here are some of the best ways I show my mind, body, and spirit how much I love them. Some of them are treats, some are daily 'taking care of yourself' stuffs. You can probably figure out which is which.

~Travel. My wanderlust, by far, causes me to spend the most money. I love it so much though, and it not only feeds my soul to travel...but I believe everyone should travel and take vacations frequently because I FIRMLY think that it makes you smarter and more well-rounded to experience new and different things. So it's not a completely extravagant or frivolous thing; regardless of your field, you will be inspired every single time you travel. At least you will be if you pay attention.

~Cook elaborate and healthy meals, even if you're the only one eating. I used to be really bad about this, but now one of my favorite things to do is figure out a super-healthy, borderline-macrobiotic meal and make a ludicrous amount. It usually feeds me for a couple of days (esp. when supplemented with snacks), and my body is happy. My spirit is also happy, as it usually is when I'm taking good care of myself.

~Keep up with basic hygiene. This sounds so 'duh', but you'd be surprised how many people get busy and slack off (admittedly, including myself sometimes). I take about an hour every morning, and about half an hour before I go to bed, that is totally devoted to grooming myself and making myself feel beautiful and making sure my skin/teeth/hair/nails/etc. are healthy.

~Work hard. Whether it's your day job, your passion, or a pet project, keeping up with deadlines and pushing yourself to go even further adds up in every way possible; financially, spiritually, and mentally you will thank yourself.

~Play harder. Time with your friends is important. So party it up, laugh a lot, do really silly things that no one understands. Enjoy your life. You only get one. (Please use common sense and do not allow this to interfere with your work or health; but DO remember what Mr. Stephen King said about all work and no play...).

~Make even your 'wasted' time fruitful by doing/watching/reading/spending time with only the people and things that you really, really love and feel content when doing so.

~Be a good friend and a good person (cough, cough, without being a pushover, cough, cough). Karma. It's real.

~With that last one in your head...still know when to say no. Again, it's about narrowing things down to only what's most important to you. You should go to your best friend's birthday party no matter what, but please for the love of whatever god you believe in, skip your work-friend's sister's co-worker's baby shower. Seriously. And do not compensate by buying this near-stranger a present.

~Honor your religion. I don't mean to isolate atheists and agnostics, in fact, this includes you too! Whatever you believe in (even nothing), spend time each day meditating/praying/reading up on what you believe/etc. I get really, really lazy about this, but I try to pray AND meditate every day and I always feel so much more in tune with myself and the world around me when I do.

~Don't spend money you don't have too. I am really not in a position to give ANYONE financial advice, but I think I've been better lately. There are common sense things that people let get away from them; if you have groceries and it's not a special occasion, don't go out to eat. If you aren't positive you'll like a movie, don't buy it. I personally don't drink when I go out unless it's Happy Hour or some special at the place. I don't buy things until I'm actually out of them....there is a complete flip-side to this though, and that's being (intelligently) generous with your money. THIS INCLUDES GENEROSITY TO YOURSELF. I have really amazing friends that give me rides places; I almost never have to take the bus. As a result, I frequently fill up their tanks even when I probably don't have too. If their tank is near full, I try to bring treats. Gratitude AND generosity. As for myself? Again, common sense but it's hard practice to get into. I often think to myself: Do I REALLY want to go to a coffee shop, or do I want to put that five bucks in my fund for a trip or a (substantial) treat? If you spend less money, you will have more TOO spend when it matters.

~Whoever said "If it isn't beautiful or useful, throw it out" was 100% correct. Don't buy anything you're not in love with or in need of. Don't keep anything you've fallen out of love/need with. Sell it and pocket the cash. Give it to charity. Organize a clothing/book/DVD/Home Furnishing swap with your pals. All three will make you feel much better than hanging on to it.

~Love your alone time. Before I started on my journey of self-love I hated being along for any length of time. I could entertain myself sure, but I felt like I was missing out on major things by not being with people 24/7. After falling in love with myself, I LOVE my alone time! I am still extroverted to a fault, I admit...but quiet time to read/write/play with the cat/dance to old school Madonna albums (I mean...what?)/etc. makes me fly. For reals.

~Don't let negative people bring you down. There is no trick to this...just stop doing it. I am so empathetic, I understand how hard it is. There comes a point when enough is enough and you have to look out for number one.

~Listen to your body. I am becoming a huge advocate for taking care of your body. I am completely changing my diet and lifestyle to a happier, healthier one. Guess what? It's not just about weight gain or loss. You can feel when your body is content. Are you tired all the time? Is your skin rough for no reason? Is your hair brittle? Are you sometimes sore for no reason? Guess what? Time to listen to those clues, buck up, and reevaluate some things.

~But...give in to occasional vices. I tell you, there is nothing like going completely off refined sugar for a while and then giving in to that chocolate craving. Your body won't mind if it's regulated yourself, and you will feel delightfully naughty :)

~This largely goes with the "listen to your body" part, but seriously, drink water. You probably aren't drinking enough, and a lot of those body cues I mentioned will get a little better with that alone.

~Tell those you love that you love them often. This includes yourself. It sounds weird, but I often remind myself of my good qualities, my improving qualities, and just straight-up tell myself that I love myself. If you feel too silly or just can't remember to do it...sneak it in places. My phone says "Love Yourself" when you turn it on now. The mirror I use to do my make-up in the morning says "You are awesome" in the corner, and the front page of my journal says "This belongs to a wonderful woman who loves many, who sees that love reciprocated, and is beautiful." You can also try not being so modest about your good qualities in conversation with others. That shy, low self-esteemy thing might've worked for you as an adolescent...but much like those pictures of you doing body shots off your grandma's houseboy, it's not so cute when you're trying to establish a career, harness a posse of worthy companions, or settle down with the love of your life. One thing I've never actually done, but have heard of other confident but silly (in a good way) people do is get a stack of those name tags that say "Hi, I'm _____" and putting good qualities or affirming statements in the blank. I doubt I'd try it on my own, but I've thought about doing it for guests at parties before

SO, hopefully this will keep you busy finding love for yourself for awhile. I could write entire blog entries about each segment of these, but decided to do this for now. Hope to hear wonderful, positive things about yourselves from each of you soon.

Wishing you peace, love, and passion.

Time for Thursday Thanks!

Hello Blog-o-sphere! This week in Minnesota we got a peek at spring, and it was wonderful! The weather of the past couple of days (although not nights, where it got bitterly cold and felt like ice was stabbing my feet) deserves it's own edition of Thursday Thanks...but it's not going to get it. My blog, my rules, weatherperson. I did think it was worth mentioning before diving into OTHER things I was thankful for though. Too much other fun/sweet/etc. stuff happened this week that made me grateful for a number of things. They include:

~The generosity of other Twin Cities artists. Whether it's introducing me to other artists, or letting me use space, I really feel like I live in an artistic community, and that feels pretty great!

~Finding $100 boots made with ZERO animal products for only $10.

~Getting positive feedback on The Children's Hour.

~Dollar drink night.

~That I live in a country with (comparably) clean, drinkable water.

~Play by Play Bookstore, and the events that the shop owner does for free.

~Tax refunds. I will defend paying taxes to the death (call me crazy, but I like to know that when Minnesota dumps snow all over the roads, that it's going to get cleared off; and that my buses are going to run frequently enough so that I don't have to go everywhere an hour OR MORE early; and that if I ever have children, their education will be decent without me having to pay a ridiculous amount for private school) but it is still always such a relief to get that refund check back.

~Fajitas! Nom.

~Late night IMs with my very good friend Sam after I've enjoyed dollar drink night to it's fullest.

~Bad photography. Why lie, it just makes me feel better about myself when I see someone who charges more than me publish unintentionally blurry, out of focus, or even just lame photos.

~Meeting other, young theatre entrepreneurs and getting along smashingly!

~Eve Ensler. Seriously, I'm obsessed right now. She can't do enough, quick enough, because I'm blowing through everything she's ever done at the speed of light.

~Love. So much love in my life, I often overlook it. Love for myself, love for those around me, that love reciprocated. love, love, love.

~The website Snark Valley, where I can relive my old Sweet Valley High novels without actually having to read them in their terribleness. (Although, I got a say, when the ten-years-later issue comes out later this month, I am snatching that bad boy up and not even caring about the looks I get).

~YOU for caring enough about me and my life to read this blog every couple of days...and enjoy it :)

Wishing you and yours peace, love, and passion. For yourself, for others, for the world around you.

Dogs Are Great, Being Your OWN Best Friend is Better

I was introduced to the concept of radical self-love by a blogger I found just googling random things named Gala Darling. I was unsure of the blog at first, because I am not quite a fashionista, more of the bohemian love child of 1960's counterculture and Old Hollywood (if you think that sounds to ridiculous to be true, I assure you it is...both ridiculous and true). After reading through a few of her "top articles" though, I was hooked. Gala spoke of loving yourself as if it were 100% attainable and downright easy, and after reading enough of her site (as well as many, many sites that she links too frequently), I started to agree with her.

I started on my own radical self-love journey for obvious reasons, and it's something I spend a lot of time thinking about. A lot has come of it, and my main thought that I want to leave my own blog following with is this:

Think about the people you love the most in the world. Now think about what you want for them. Do you want them to work neverending static jobs that they'll hate? Do you want them to constantly give in to vices, eat terribly, let people take advantage of them, and waste tons of time? Everyone loves their own in different ways, but I'm guessing not. I'm guessing you want them to lead the sort of lives that will make them happy, keep them healthy, and allow only quality people in. Now, if you are someone that loves people this selflessly you are obviously capable and deserving of the same love you put out. So why aren't you treating yourself the way you would treat your lover, your best friend, or your closest sibling?

Additionally, self-trust is an issue that often (and should) go hand-in-hand with self-love but it is the piece of the puzzle that I have seen cause the most conflict for the most people (myself included). If you think that cute cashier has a good aura and has been checking you out (UGH, no pun intended), then you're probably right. Flirt back. If you have a feeling that your current job is unsatisfying and there's something better and more suited for yourself out there, then you're probably right. If you think that friend that comes over, eats your food, and then leaves is untrustworthy, you're probably right. Think about it in terms of people you love again, if you have trouble discerning between your gut and just being angry/annoyed. If your best friend had another friend that constantly came over, ate their food, and left, what would you tell them? If your husband/wife/etc. came home from work miserable and exhausted instead of fulfilled and invigorated, what would you want them to do? If your cute, sassy, single sibling had a crush on that cashier, what would you do? Then remember that you are every bit as worthy of happiness as those around you, and go for it.

There is no good reason not to love yourself, and loving yourself goes beyond feeling competent. It means you gain five pounds and decide to have fun with A-Lines instead of starving yourself. It means leaving any situation or person leaving you unfulfilled or unhappy in the dust. It means not doubting that others around you love you, ever. Everyone has low self-esteem sometimes, do you think in the case of your favorite person that their low moments are justified? Probably not. So it stands to reason, that probably, neither are yours.

Coming soon will be some tips for loving yourself (ones I came up with myself, anything another blogger/writer/psychoanalyst posts I would just link too) and what that means for life.

Today, even more than other days, I am wishing you peace, passion, and love.