So true

A gem from this Sunday's PostSecret. 

(You check it every week, don't you?)

Given what I've talked about recently, this struck a chord and made me smile.

And say, "Yep! So true!"

We're all just winging it.

P.S. I hope you all had a lovely Memorial Day weekend! It was warm here... it seems summer has begun! Since journalists don't really get these kinds of holidays off (haha), I spent the morning and afternoon attending Memorial Day events and talking to veterans, but it was nice because it put the focus of the day where it belongs. Then I went home and ended the day with a yummy (and filling!) barbecue: burgers, corn, guacamole, potato salad and strawberry shortcake. So... how was your weekend?

The broken road

Would you laugh if I said I sort of regretted posting my regret post the moment I pushed the publish button?

Seriously though, your comments helped get me out of my fog, my clouds of doom and gloom, and re-realize that the past is the past. There is nothing I can do to change it. And I made the best decisions I could at the time. You just have to keep moving forward and hope those "mistakes" you made will ultimately lead you somewhere wonderful-- somewhere you are meant to be.

I think whenever you are going through some changes-- especially when it feels like maybe the changes aren't "for the better"-- feelings like regret, and yes, sadness, are going to creep in. It is easy to think about the "what ifs" and "what might have beens" when you are not completely happy with where you are-- and when you're not sure where you are going. It is easy when you are feeling down in the dumps to take yourself down even farther by dwelling on things, by beating yourself up emotionally... and that's where I was the other day. It's not often on here that I write out my feelings as I'm feeling them and then open them up for the world to see. But thank you so much for listening and offering reassurance.

You know that Rascal Flatts' song "Bless the Broken Road"? The lyrics to that song are what came into my head while thinking about all this regret stuff. And it gives me hope that no matter how broken the road, you can end up where you are supposed to be. That it is, in fact, the broken road that led you there. To find true love, as the song says, to find passion. To find the job you're meant to be in, the city you're meant to live in.

I am reminded that there are no guarantees in life. We don't know what tomorrow or the next day will bring, no matter how much planning and foresight goes into our decision making. There comes a point where certain things are simply out of our control and all we can do is let go of the steering wheel and choose-- yes, choose-- to enjoy the ride.

So, though it has not always been easy for me to do, here's to choosing to be happy. To letting regret fall by the wayside. To putting one foot in front of the other on that broken road called life. And seeing where it takes me.

xoxo,



Image via i can read

Feelings

I'm going to be perhaps too honest right now, but here goes.

I have so much regret.

It’s funny, because I used to tell people I didn’t believe in regret.

Just “life lessons.”

Well, I guess I’ve been in denial.

Because I feel regret deep down in my bones. In my chest. Especially today.

I've always been a horribly indecisive person, for decisions big and small.

But, of course, it's those big decisions that I feel regretful about.

It's hard for me to trust myself to make the right choice.

They say hindsight is 20/20. Boy, is that ever true.

There are so many things I wish I could take back.

Decisions I would have made differently.

Things I didn’t do that I wish I had done.

Things I’ve done that I wish I didn’t do.

You know the drill.

And I know there is no point in dwelling in the past.

Everyone makes mistakes, of that I am aware.

But this logic, this reasoning, still doesn’t help me shake that awful feeling.

That I wish I had a rewind button and that I could zip myself back to the beginning.

And press play all over again.

The question is: would I really do it any better—would my life be that much better— if I had it to do again?

Photos via we heart it, Leave Happier and i can read

Pack it up, pack it in

Today is moving day, again.

Tomorrow will be moving day again, revisited. 

And then "Goodbye, apartment living."

"Hello, Mom & Dad."

Mail has been forwarded...

More than a dozen boxes already packed, taped and sent on... 

Hazel scoped one out for me. 

Amazingly, I still have more stuff laying around. 

And once it's officially moved, I have much

cleaning and organizing to do.

Thanks for all your sweet, 

encouraging comments the other day.

I know I'm making the right move (hehe)

Till then, I hope you are enjoying your week!

(almost weekend!)

and

Be back soon!

My life in boxes

As I told you the other day, I'm moving. (Again.)

But what I didn't tell you is where I'm moving to.

Cue Bon Jovi: Who says you can't go home...

Yep, that's right. Unfortunately and fortunately, I'm moving back home. To my parents' house.

I say unfortunately because moving home seems like a step backwards. I'm 25 years old and I'm going to be living with my parents. Now, I know that 20-somethings moving back in with their 'rents is a growing trend in today's economy and nothing I should feel ashamed about, but I have to admit, I do feel a little embarrassed.

In many ways, I have been "on my own" since I went off to college freshman year. Yes, I did come home each summer and after graduation I stayed at my parents' house for a few months. But as soon as I was able, I moved out to live in an apartment with my best friend, Marielle (and really, I wasn't financially ready to do it and it was probably not the best decision but I did it anyway).

After living with Marielle and two dudes for a year, I moved into an apartment with the boy. And then we moved into another apartment, where we are now. In the three years since I graduated I have moved four times (counting moving home from college) and now I'm moving again! And oh man, do I hate moving. (It just reminds me how much stuff I have and how big of a pack rat I am!)

But besides from not wanting to move home because of the whole "independence" thing, I am also worried because I honestly think that my parents and I get along a lot better since I moved out. (Mom, don't take that the wrong way!) I think we'll be fine because I have grown up; I'm not a teenager anymore, after all. But these past few years, I could go over to my parents house when I wanted to, call when I wanted to talk... I'm sure those of you who live on your own understand. So I say all this to say that while moving home is not the end of the world, it will take a bit of adjustment. (And, a lot of cleaning! Almost done with that though, almost done.)

On the other hand, I say it is fortunate for me to be moving home because, well, let's face it, it will save me a lot of money. Luckily, my parents haven't asked me to pay rent while living at home. And luckily, I have parents who actually want to take me back in! I do realize that isn't the case for some people, so I am grateful that my parents would let me come home, for free, no problem. No hesitation. They are happy to have me back. (And I'm triply lucky that home is just 15 minutes across town.)

And that is the main reason I am moving back home: to save money. I have found myself living paycheck to paycheck for quite some time (High rents in Simi + low income + no chance of a raise + no time to get a second job {and I did apply for one recently only to come to my senses} = financial instability) and things only got worse when the boy lost his job. I found myself having to loan him money that I didn't really have. Moving home will give me a chance to actually save some dough. (Remember my No. 1 New Year's resolution?) Maybe I'll even open a savings account!

So while there are some drawbacks to going home, there are definite benefits, too.

Our lease is up Friday and I spent much of the weekend packing up my life in boxes, so to speak. There's still more to do but by Saturday I will officially be a "boomerang kid."

Images via we heart it, here and here.

Workin' for the weekend

Hello loves! Sorry to have been so absent this past week! It just seems like my workdays have been so incredibly busy lately that I have no time for anything, let alone blogging. Anyone else feeling that too?

Even though it is Friday, I still don't have much time to chat. I am trying to get as much done as I can today so that next week will be a little bit easier. Next week is going to be more stressful than usual because I am moving! I will share more on that later, I just simply can't get into all that that's about right now. But as we all know, moving is never fun. (Lots of packing and heavy lifting is in my future this weekend, to be sure.)

What is fun is that in less than two hours I will be sipping a strawberry margarita with my beautiful friend and sorority sister Kapua. That's also why I'm working hard-- I'm taking off a bit early so that I can go meet her at La Paz, a yummy Mexican restaurant in Calabasas. (It is one of our go-to meet-up places; I even had my college graduation celebratory lunch there!)

I can't wait for a tamale and Albondigas soup. And to catch up with a good friend, of course. That goes without saying.

For now I'll leave you with a pretty picture and a wish that you have a wonderful weekend!

Talk soon,



Sunset image via we heart it

Happy Sunday! I hope you all had wonderful weekends and that you were able to spend some time with Mom today!

My dad and I took my mother out for an early brunch at The Cheesecake Factory. Eggs Benedict and a mimosa for me, crab hash and a Bloody Mary for my mom and a pinwheel of French toast for my dad. (I took pictures but I'll spare you this time.) The meal was delicious but the portions were huge as usual, leaving us (especially me!) sleepy for the rest of the day. (I had to grab a grande iced vanilla latte at Starbucks at 3 p.m. just to wake myself up!)

For gifts, my dad got my mom a 1 lb. box of marzipan from See's. (Her favorite candy.) And I got her a new pair of summery, sparkly sandals. They matched the dress she wore to breakfast so she slipped them on the moment she took them out of the shoebox... I guess she liked them! Success!

After a long nap (I told you I was tired!), my parents fixed my car (read: they topped off the coolant once again since no matter how many times we take it in, that gosh darn light keeps coming on, and then replaced the bulb in my brake light so I won't get pulled over) and then I played some old school arcade games with my brother, Patrick, and his friend, Adam. We played a bit of Geometry Wars, Sonic the Hedgehog and Mortal Combat. It was fun but I remember kicking so much more ass at these games when I was younger! I guess I'll have to practice :)

So that's my weekend-- well, Sunday-- recap. How was yours?

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!

xo,


P.S. On Friday night we went to see Iron Man 2. It was fabulous, just as good as the first if not better! And RDJ-- Robert Downey Jr., that is-- is so funny! I love him as the cocky Tony Stark. And I might just have a girl crush on Scarlett Johansson. She is just so gorgeous! I hate her and love her at the same time! No one should look that good in a cat suit.

Gratitude's a funny thing

Today, the lovely Joanna over at Cup of Jo posted about Leah Dieterich and her fantastic blog-- one part inspiration, one part hilarity-- thxthxthx.

Like many moms, Leah's mother always told her to write thank-you notes. So now she does, writing them to anything and everything under the sun! Her blog is a daily exercise in gratitude, expressing thankfulness for the little things in life that we too often take for granted. It serves as a wonderful reminder to folks like me who can all too easily get bogged down in the busyness of life-- the responsibilities and the mundane to-do's-- and forget to stop and smell the roses, as they say.

Joanna encouraged us, her readers that is, to play along and write a thank-you note of our own for today. Here's the one I left in the comments:

Dear 3 p.m.,

Thank you for coming. Because now the newspaper is put to bed,

 my editor has no more questions 

and I can go take a nap.

Please come faster next week?

always,

Carissa

I'd like to add this one, though, too:

Dear Eggs, 

I love you. Scrambled, fried or poached. 

Benedict or hard boiled. 

Morning, noon or night. (In today's case, lunch.) 

You're always there for me, waiting in the fridge 

ready to get me out of a desperate (read: desperately hungry) situation. 

And you're quick, easy and delicious. Thanks for being you.

See you on the flip side.

(Wow, I'm cheesy. I crack myself up.)

(Ok, I'll stop now.)

With affection,

Carissa

I hope you'll play along, too!

And I found a similar "gratitude" blog recommended by one of the commenters on Joanna's post: Today's Letters. It is adorable and I am head over heels for its banner. Go check it out.

Hope you are having a good Thursday! And know that I am thankful for you!




P.S. Tracy, if you're reading this, I saw your thank-you note in the Cup of Jo comments and it made me laugh! I too have construction workers outside my window that have been waking me up at 8 a.m. for weeks! (There's a new Target going in across the street.) On top of that, my apartment complex has had tree trimmers out every morning and their chainsaws (or whatever it is making that god-awful noise!) go nonstop!

P.P.S. I am going to be taking that nap. Soon.

Summer brilliance

I just read the most genius idea. (Perhaps some of you have already heard about it and I'm late to the party, but I'm going to share anyway.)

Spanx has a swimwear line! How amazing is that? The brand we girls turn to for ultra-secret slimming has taken their technology to the swimming pool. And beach. I, for one, am buoyed by the news. I absolutely despise swimsuit shopping (which is why I typically just order cute tankinis from Victoria's Secret and try them on in the comfort of my own bedroom). And I loathe putting on a swimsuit even more. But Spanx swimwear just might ease the pain.

Now, these are no Vickie's swimsuits. But Spanx offers some pretty, classic options to choose from (as well as a variety of bottoms with varying degrees of tummy-tucking capabilities). And there are even bikinis! (Not that I will be wearing one. And not that I understand how Spanx can slim the parts you want trimmed with two itty bitty pieces of fabric, but whatever.)

Here are a few of my favorites. Which do you like best?

Convertible Tankini Top (love the body-flattering ruching) and Triangle Tankini Top (love the ruffles!)

One-Shoulder One Piece (so glamorous!) and Structured One Piece (great graphic design!)

Convertible One Piece (straps can be tied two ways) and Deep-V One Piece (va va voom!)

Now I know not even the best silhouette-shaping suit can replace a little sweat time at the gym-- which I must admit, I've been slacking on-- but I think these swim styles will at least ensure that I get beach bound and poolside this summer.

And in my opinion, the added confidence provided by the belly-flattening fabric might just be worth the steep price tag.

Thoughts? And anyone know of any other slimming swim lines that do what they say? Summer is just around the corner... so do share your secrets!

A pup grows up

Today is Hazel's 2nd birthday. My little pup is all grown up! I guess I can't call her my "puppy" anymore, but she'll always be a little girl to me-- my baby-- so I think I'll still call her that anyway.

To celebrate the big day, we took the love muffin out for an adventure. We drove toward the beach and ended up in Marina del Rey. After much circling to find a parking spot, we only stayed briefly, watching the ships come and go. Hazel was happy to stretch her legs after an hour in the car and she loved feeling the sand between her paws.

Next we headed to Santa Monica. We walked along Ocean Avenue and strolled down the Santa Monica Pier-- weaving in and out of the hundreds of people who were also out to take in the beach air and So Cal sun. Hazel made many friends along the way-- both humans and canines alike. We ended the day with a late afternoon lunch at one of my favorite Italian restaurants: Trastevere on Third Street (yep, we went again). Hazel was a bit frenetic while we ate; she was tied up to the gate surrounding the patio and kept pawing at me for attention and more bread! But she survived the somewhat stressful experience and soon we were off walking again...

And against our better judgment, we stopped into Crepe Cafe to pick up a Nutella and banana crepe to-go. I'm sad to say I didn't finish it; I was too full from my deliciously creamy linguine pasta (with chicken, broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes) but I just can't resist! I have a weakness for Nutella. And a weakness for my tiny, spoiled, adorable pup who thinks she is bigger and tougher than she really is.

(Funny story: While the boy got the crepe, Hazel and I waited outside by a fountain. Two big dogs-- pit bulls, I think-- were playing around, roughhousing. Hazel was watching curiously and to my surprise she suddenly let out a bark. And a growl. Everyone around us laughed, looking at this fluffy pipsqueak trying to get in on the action! But she kept at it, louder and louder, and I finally had to walk away for fear the big dogs would take Hazel up on her offer to play. I said to Hazel, "Who do you think you are, anyway?" She's such a crazy girl sometimes. Well, make that, all the time!)

Now we are home and she is passed out next to me, snuggled in the blanket and sleeping soundly. The excitement of the day has left her exhausted. I'd say that's the sign of a pretty good birthday.