Blog Award!

One of the things that *totally* made my week was receiving the One Lovely Blog Award from the completely adorable Tiffany from I Am Style-ish.



As part of the award, I need to mention six things that made me happy today. It's really early in the day here in TX (only 10 a.m.), but luckily, it's been a GREAT day so far! Here i go:

1. Getting a pretty big new project from the managing partner at my firm - not only will it give me billable hours, but also be a good addition to my resume.

2. Reading sweet and funny blog comments/emails :)

3. Knowing that i don't have to buy my lunch today b/c we have a lunch meeting, aka the firm caters - woo hoo!

4. Receiving The Woman's Retreat Book by Jennifer Louden in the mail this morning. It's exactly what i need in preparation for this weekend!

5. Losing about 3-4 pounds b/c of my bout with strep! Total loss during that week was 6 pounds, but since i've started eating again i've regained a few. Still, i'll take ANY net loss and be happy with it. I stopped by Anthropologie on my way home from work yesterday and tried on about 5 dresses. For the first time in a LONG time, every single one looked great on me, and i completely attribute that to shedding those few extra pounds. (Sadly, i could not purchase all 5 dresses...) Glad something good came out of that awful week ;)

6. Seeing UP tonight with a dear friend at Austin's incredible Alamo Drafthouse. (P.S. If you have the latest Anthro catalog, it's shot in Austin, and in one of the pics, the model is standing right in front of the Alamo downtown - exciting!)

I pass this award to:

-Yogadiva's Divine Life
-Gussying Up the Tuttle
-Everyday Revelry
-Naturally Nina
-The Revising Life
-Creatuitive Coaching

Les Livres

bib⋅li⋅o⋅phile [bib-lee-uh-fahyl, -fil]: a person who loves or collects books

In case you haven't checked out my blogger profile (see right), i am a bibliophile, aka lover and collector of books. My love affair with books began long ago when i was in elementary school and lived in Lafayette, Louisiana. My mother had a store in downtown Lafayette, mere blocks away from the Lafayette Public Library. On the days we accompanied my mother to work, my sister and i would spend our afternoons at the Library, reading, absorbing and checking out a multitude of books. (Back then i thought that Library was huge. Who knows how big it actually is because after all, every place seems huge when you are a child, n'est ce pas?)

Every summer the Library had reading contests in which you got little prizes for x number of books read. My mom and dad would sign off on this piece of paper where i listed all the books i had read that summer. I always ran out of space and had to request more and more sheets. I was a voracious little reader, i couldn't get enough! To this day i am frequently reading several books at a time. I'm also a freakishly fast reader so it doesn't take long for me to get through them. (It took me one day, working day mind you so really just a few hours, to read each of the Twilight books, except Breaking Dawn. But that's because i didn't want the series to end, and let's be honest, that book kind of sucked compared to the others.)

Unfortunately, these days i often start too many books at one time and find it difficult to actually finish them. One of my June goals is to finish 2 of the books i'm currently reading, which in theory, should not be that hard to do. The problem is new books are so alluring that i often cannot stop myself from starting another and another and another. This is why my bedside table (which isn't really a table after all but really just a tray, and i desperately need to replace it with something that can actually house some of my books, candles, chargers, etc.) is overflowing with books. It's a serious problem.

I just got home from a trip to Tarjay. While i was there i picked up about ten different books, but only 4 made it back home with me (don't worry, they were paperback and discounted so not terribly expensive). I'm currently seeking chick lit, as it's lighthearted, fun, and i haven't read one in awhile. Plus this summer heat also inspires me to buy beachy reads. I bought:

1. A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand
2. One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell
3. Shoe Addicts Anonymous and 4. Secrets of a Shoe Addict by Beth Harbison (per recommendation by Jen Lancaster)

Have you read any of these? Thoughts? Should i return any of them??

Books I Am Currently Reading (aka have started but not finished):

1. The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn
2. Juicy Pens Thirsty Paper by SARK
3. Make Your Creative Dreams Real by SARK
4. French Women for All Seasons by Mireille Guilano
5. Pretty In Plaid by Jen Lancaster
6. La Dolce Vegan by Sarah Kramer
7. The Women's Comfort Book by Jennifer Louden

See what i mean?

A Note On Audiobooks - While i love hard copy books, i also frequently enjoy a good audiobook, especially these days when i have less time to read due to my annoyingly full-time job. Currently playing in my car is Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck read by Ms. Ephron herself. This is not the first time i've listened to this audiobook, i've had it for years, and i adore it. Nora is delightful, witty, and charming. I want to be her friend. I highly suggest you pick this one up if you like audiobooks. I honestly think it's better listened to by the author herself than read. Her tone and inflection are priceless.

I should probably get off the computer now, unpack my Target bags, brush my teeth, wash my face, and get in bed with one of my many "currently reading" books. But let's be honest. I'll probably open one of my newbies. Old habits die hard!

But first, i have to know: what are you reading these days?

Lean On Me

Dear Readers,

I know i sound like a broken record, but thank you thank you THANK YOU for your amazing support. I've already deleted yesterday's post, but not before i copied and pasted all your lovely comments into a word document and printed it out. I've read these words a number of times already. You. are. incredible. (Btw, not only did you comment, but those of you who couldn't took the time to send me personal emails and even multiple tweets - i mean, how did i get so lucky?)

First, it just goes to show how nice y'all are that i didn't get a single, "SHUT UP you whiny brat and stop complaining about your ridiculously overpaid job and plush life!!!" I mean, seriously, i know i deserved it a little bit. (Note: When i mentioned this to Ma Soeur, she responded with, "That's what i would've said!" One word: H8ER.) Second, not only did you offer virtual hugs and words of comfort, but you also took the time to say something to me. Can i just say, that means the world to me? I'm not sure when or how it happened, but in the past few months we (yes, all of you and moi) seem to have created the most beautiful online blog/twitter/whatever friendship and support circle, and i just LOVE it. It fuels me. It gets me through hard times. It brings tears of joy and gratitude to my eyes. It makes me warm and fuzzy inside. It makes me laugh and clap my hands and dance around. It's so GREAT! Don't you agree?

I have a lot of friends from various stages in my life, and i love and appreciate all of them. But there's something so special and unique about making virtual friends (and not in that creepy, pedophile chatroom sort of way). We connect, not just because we're in the same graduate program or our Mom's are friends, but because we share similar interests, thoughts, feelings, creative expressions. It's like we bypass all the frivolity that so often comes with normal relationships and get down to the deep nitty gritty. And for that reason i feel compelled and completely comfortable with sharing my thoughts with you, no matter how silly/wretched/whiney/cheesy they may be. And you never fail me. You surpass my wildest expectations every time, and our friendship deepens continously. I love you more and more with every blog post, every tweet. (Author's Note: When i got sick with strep, the FIRST people who noticed my silence/absence were my fellow tweeters. How funny/endearing is that??)

Wouldn't it be amazing if we could all rendez-vous? Wouldn't it be SO fun to have a blogger weekend somewhere fabulous? We could eat delicious food, relax by the pool, sip champagne cocktails, and dish about our jobs, our love lives, our families, our latest purchases. ;) I still think that one day, this will become a reality. And, in the meantime, just know that i appreciate you more than words can say. And if i could lay on the beach and giggle and laugh and share my deepest darkest secrets with you, as i do my "normal" friends (ok, maybe not on the beach), i would. (I would also bake you cupcakes, insist we get pedicures, and encourage every fun purchase possible! Yes, i am an enabler.)

Now, in response to what you actually said, I'm still processing. Your suggestions were brilliant, and i am totally going to use/implement/incorporate them. (Also, for those of you who so graciously extended your contacts so that i could chat further, i am definitely going to take you up on that, it just might take me awhile!) I have some free time this weekend and plan on using it to dive deeper, reflect, process, read your comments again, pray, journal, collage and emerge with some semblance of a plan. Or, at the very least, some small steps/micromovements towards establishing a plan. :) I will (obviously) share this journey with you so get ready!

One last thing - i have yet another favor to ask. I absolutely adore sending my friends snail mail, be it little notes, thank you's, mixed CD's, stickers (yes i sent my bestie from law school My Little Pony stickers once), etc. Don't you love getting fun nonbill-y stuff in the mail? If so, then i ask that you please email me (carolyn.park@gmail.com) your contact information. (Obvi i will keep everything confidential.) I know it sounds kinda weird, but i promise not to stalk you and only send you lovely things. ;)

On that note, i must run. But i have more posts soon to come (including a blogger award from darling Tiffany - it's my first! And an exciting upcoming blogger rendez-vous with beautiful Sarah. More details soon!). Also - i desperately need to update my blog list to the right b/c so many of you aren't on it. Will do it asap. Ciao bellas!

xoxo,
C

P.S. Most of all? Thank you for believing in me.

Welcome to Bollywood

I heart Bollywood. If you don't know what that word means, you are certainly missing out, and I highly suggest you get thee to wikipedia asap and also search "bollywood" and "Aishwarya Rai" on youtube.



My obsession with all things Bollywood, i'm ashamed to say, came from watching a silly little flick called "Bride and Prejudice", aka the "Bollywood" version of Pride & Prejudice featuring the beautiful Aishwarya Rai. It was a small taste of what was to come. Since then i've watched a number of flicks (can't remember any names, sorry!), mostly with my BFFFEFEFFF from college (who's Indian) and loves to entertain my obsession. I've also seen the musical Bombay Dreams, own the soundtrack and frequently dance around to tracks like "Chaiyya Chaiyya" and "Shakalaka Baby" in my apartment when no one but Lola is watching.



Sadly, my dancing is quite limited as i have zero training in Bollywood-style dance. Enter BOLLYWOOD BHANGRA WORKOUT, a new class through UT Informal Classes that will allow me to pursue my love for bollywood moves AND sizzle some calories at the same time. Genius! Classes start July 15, and i CAN'T WAIT!!


P.S. It's no surprise that one of my fave scenes from Slumdog Millionaire was the end scene in which the actors danced to Jai Ho!

June Goals

JUNE GOALS

-Be at office by 8:30 a.m. (starting... tomorrow!)


-Keep up with yoga and add cardio 2-3 times per week


-Finish 2 books i've started (my book starting but not finishing has been APPALLING)

-Create personal retreat weekend somewhere lovely (this will have to be next weekend, as it's my only free weekend, and it may have to be at home b/c of $$...hmm)

-Dust off bike and go for a ride!

-Ditto tennis racket (and no, i cannot play tennis but i enjoy trying)

-STOP FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF (more on this later)

{photo by Alicia Bock}

Etsy Love

I *SO* need this pillow. (Doesn't everyone??) Too bad it's un peu out of my price range...

Quarantine

Ugh. I am officially over this illness. Being stuck at home with nothing to do but sleep, cuddle with Lola and watch girly movies is fun in theory, but when you can't taste anything and get nauseous almost every time you do manage to get something down, SUCKS. Not being able to eat is K-I-L-L-I-N-G me. I'm so cranky when i'm hungry. :(

Luckily, i do have this sweet thang keeping me company (even though she's probably bored to tears). This has pretty much been our life for the past 4 days...


Bless her little heart. I promise her oodles of outside playtime and delicious treats once i'm fully recovered.

By the way, when will that be??

Oh and dear readers, i promise you some beautiful, inspiration and fun posts soon, too!! I'm sure you're tired of my cranky blogs/tweets. ;)