A Brief Note/Confession

I love to write. I enjoy it. I've been told I'm fairly good at it. My mom remains convinced I should have gone into journalism. I recall writing an essay in 10th grade on the book "A Separate Peace". My teacher kept it as an example to show future students. In college, I wrote a paper on the 6 wives of Henry VIII (a subject I still remain fascinated with), but I enjoyed writing it so much, it was too long. It ended up being only about Katherine of Aragon, his first wife. I have always excelled in English class, possibly because of my intense love of books and reading.

I don't say all of this to brag,  only to set up my next point. I took AP English in my senior year of high school. It was a tough class. We were required to read Les Miserables the summer before the class started. We drew from it all year. Lots of writing essays, quizzes, and the like. Also, preparation for the impending test at the end of the year. Multiple choice and a big ol' essay to write all in 2 hours. I never took it. I never took the test because I knew I couldn't finish that essay. Even with all the writing I've done and everything, there is one thing I know: I am not a fast writer. I need to take my time. I have to get it right. I have to choose my words carefully. I knew I couldn't finish that essay in the time allotted. Not a good one, anyway. Also those tests are rather expensive and I didn't want to waste my parents' money. Although, it would have saved me a semester of English in college if I passed...

Anyway, my whole point is. It's been 2 weeks since I wrote that post about writing more seriously. For 2 weeks I've been working on a post on a very serious manner. I need to get it right. It's important to me to have the correct facts and present it in the right way. I'm glad at least one person is looking forward to my future posts (Hi, Holly!), but I do feel a bit of pressure. You might have to be a little patient with me. It's probably just myself putting pressure on myself (happens frequently), but I thought I would at least confess my process a little bit. I'm totally working on it, I promise. Life has been busy. That, and I seem to have several possible subjects to write on rolling around in my head and sometimes I have trouble focusing on one.

Soon, dear readers! Soon. : )

p.s. I love Calvin & Hobbes. : )

No Longer Silent

I'm what you might call..."non-confrontational". It's in my nature. I don't like to ruffle feathers. I've always been naturally quiet and generally say less than I need to.  That being said, I'm no longer as I have been. I think I might even be an....adult? Maybe? Well, I've definitely been doing some changing. Growing. And it's probably about time. I just turned the big two-seven. On the cusp of "late twenties". Yeesh.


Anyway, my point. The past few years have basically forced me into situations where I couldn't react in the same way as I have in the past. It wasn't so much that I was going outside of my comfort zone. It was more like my comfort zone was completely yanked out from under me, often finding myself floundering. But I guess I should be grateful, since it truly has helped me grow. "Build character", I guess you could say.


The reason I mention this is that there's a lot I want to say on this blog. I'm still the type who thinks more than she says, so I do A LOT of thinking. I also read a lot and keep up on certain topics with the help of social media. When I'm working and such, these topics roll around in my head and I feel the desire to share my thoughts and feelings about said topics. So I'm going to. It won't be a complete shift in theme, but occasionally, the subject may be more serious than my recent blog posts. And now I'm not afraid to "ruffle feathers". Part of the new and emboldened "me". Maybe the subject will be touchy or uncomfortable. Maybe it'll be upsetting. I don't know. I'm just giving a bit of a warning so it's not such a huge shock.


There are quite a few causes that I'm passionate about. I think it's time I add my voice to them. New blog posts coming soon. Get ready for my Fight Face.

Updates: Business and Personal

Okay. So, on the business front, things are moving forward. Sometimes in spurts, sometimes at a crawl, but if there's progress, I'm okay with it. I've started getting the word out and there has been some response! I had to take a break on the website because it is SO not my forte and I was about to pull my hair out. So, in the meantime, I started a Facebook page. You can click here to peruse, if you care to. I am up at over 100 "likes", some of which are even people I don't know, so yay! I have also received and delivered 2 orders through this manner, so I really hope it continues. It's exciting. : )

I have also received my business cards. That was an exciting moment as well! I used the logo my brother-in-law helped me develop (he did most of the work) and then used VistaPrint.com to create my own cards. They turned out pretty cute! See?

I've given a few out already! Mostly to family so THEY can maybe give them out, but some were to customers and even one to a lady at the office in my apartment complex. That's where I picked up the package and she recognized the company. She also was who I first talked to about getting permission to have this business out of my home. You never know the connections you're going to make!

Speaking of connections, I went to the Salt Lake Business Expo with my friend from Culinary school, Hilary. She has her own dessert catering business ( ruedelis.com ) . I feel like she has the jump on me as far as the business learning curve goes, but she told me it took her NINE MONTHS to get her business license because there was no form to have a food business out of a town home in Draper. They had to create one for her. Crazy! It's been about 1 1/2 months since I started the process, and I thought that was long! Let's hope I can get this wrapped up in the next few weeks. Oy. Paperwork is a pain in the butt. ; )

Anyway! We went to this expo and it was pretty general, as far as business. All types, some food. It was fun to see the local businesses and make a few connections. Hilary did most of that since she's "legit", aka licensed. She also had business cards with her since mine did NOT ARRIVE THE DAY BEFORE LIKE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO. Sorry. I was rather bothered by that. It was fun to see her, though, and there will be some more conventions that are specific to food that we might go to. And I have my business cards now! Finally. I'll be prepared next time. : )

So here are a few pictures of the recent orders I did: 

Angry Birds Cake. Chocolate cake with strawberry buttercream filling

and covered in fondant. All decorations made free-hand. 

Dr. Seuss-themed cupcakes for Chloe Hennis, who was turning 1! 

Chocolate cupcakes with Old Fashioned Chocolate Buttercream.

And a close-up of the decorations:

Pretty fun. : )

On a personal and possibly not-so-interesting note, I haven't been feeling well the past couple months and I kind of suspected I might be allergic to something. I wasn't sure what, but by experimenting and process of elimination, I'm pretty sure I'm lactose intolerant. : (   My dad is and I asked him what his symptoms were and they sounded oddly familiar. It's a self-diagnosis, so I'm not 100% sure but I've been feeling much better since I have mostly cut dairy out of my diet. I thought it would be really hard to give up cheese and ice cream, but it really hasn't been that bad. There are good substitutes and I live really close to a health food store, so the transition has been made without much difficulty. 

In relation to that (kinda), I have now been 4 years vegetarian as of the 3rd of this month. Hard to believe it's been that long! But I don't regret it one bit. In light of this possible lactose intolerance, I've started to make some vegan recipes since they don't have any meat or dairy in them (or eggs but that's another subject for me that I won't get into). You know what? I'm loving it. I feel a lot better and it just easier to go back to what my body actually needs. I was REALLY good at healthy eating when I first went veg, but I've strayed a bit. I'm trying to go back to the basics. Keep it simple. 

So there's some news for you! Oh, and I'm actually writing this AT my desk while sitting on my "new" desk chair. I got it really cheap from DI and it has been great so far! I'm trying to segregate "business time" and "chill time" so having a good chair is important! If I'm not comfortable, I'm more likely to lounge on the couch and productivity wanes. ; ) See you soon! 

The Here and Now

Hey, all. I don't seem to have the brain power or energy to full-on blog these days, but I had a thought today. I'm working on staying in the moment. I have a tendency to spend too much time dwelling on the BIG SCARY UNKNOWN FUTURE and all the things I can't control rather than focusing on what's happening right now. It's an ongoing process. Success varies.

Anyway, as I contemplated this, Mumford & Sons came to mind. As they often do cause TOTALLY AMAZING AND ALL THE LOVE FOR THESE BOYS. And it happens to fit my situation. These are the skies I'm under. And I can only control my attitude these days. Play on, fellas. : )

Changes

I moved about 2 months ago. The majority of those who might read my blog probably know this from some other source, but in case you don't, Hey! Here's a post about it! And some other stuff.

So, yes. I moved. To an apartment of my VERY OWN. It was all very exciting and scary. Yup. I now live alone. It's really fun and weird and bizarre and awesome. All at the same time. I have my own kitchen and can entertain and stuff! I'm really enjoying it.

My place is a small one-bedroom apartment. I was given quite a few things from loving family members: a table and chairs from Grandma and Grandpa, futon from mom and dad, and a desk from Uncle Garn and Aunt Diane. And I'm so grateful!

My desk. : )

Housewarming gift from my Aunt Julie! You don't miss it til

you desperately need one. 

And I also had a few projects. Like my book shelves! My dad was able to get some free pallet boards from work and he cut them to size so we could paint them for a new backing for the shelves. They're just cheap walmart build-it-yourself ones, so with the help of Pinterest and my dad, they're slightly classier. : )

Sprayin'. My hand was cold. 

Messy. I'd never get away with graffiti. 

And finally I was able to put up ALL my amazing art work that I haven't had room for the past couple years. So excited. :D

Danish cars and London collage. Plus ceiling fan.

Autumn in Paris and painting of the New York Skyline. And lamp!

So, yeah. I'm kinda loving it. : )

It should also be mentioned that there is another reason for moving besides independence and cause it's awesome: I really am moving forward with my cake business! It's still in its infancy, but slowly but surely it is happening. In the process of designing a logo with my brother-in-law, looking at business cards and other items, applying for a business license, and I have a friend in marketing that I'm hoping can help as well. Eep!  I'll keep you posted. Eventually. ; )

OH, and I cut my hair. Badly needed. A good change. My head feels so light!! Still considering a color since I've never done it, but we'll see. 

Ummmm.....I think that's it for now. I always have the intent of posting more, but ya know. See ya!! : )

To Be Honest

Hello, all. This post has been rolling around in my head for a few weeks now. Thought I'd put it in words. A while ago, I read a really good book. "Just Listen" by Sarah Dessen. I had been following her on twitter for a while and bought the book randomly sometime before that. Finally got around to reading it and her author friends online that I follow were speaking truth. It was excellent. She writes contemporary stand-alones, which I REALLY like. Sometimes I just want to read ONE BOOK and be done with it. There are sooooo many series out there, which are awesome, I know, but there's this constant anticipation of the next book and a lot of money spent in most cases. And I do read a lot of supernatural books and stuff, but it's nice to sometimes keep it more to reality. Just straight-up fiction. Sarah Dessen has written, I think, 17 books and they are all separate. Hallelujah! So far, I have only read the one and started another, but I know I'm a fan already. She's also obsessed with Good Morning, America and has an adorable daughter who looks nothing like her. She pointed that out, by the way, not me. But I digress…

So I read this book. It's really well written. Annabel is the youngest of 3 sisters and they each have their own issues to deal with.  It's when Annabel makes a new friend when her others have abandoned her that she comes into her own. This guy, Owen, seems scary on the surface but as they spend time together, Annabel sees the good in him. One of his good attributes is that he is completely honest. Not in a brutal sort of way, but he doesn't hold back. Annabel  isn't necessarily a liar, but there's a lot she doesn't say. Or she doesn't tell the whole truth. What is it they say? A lie of omission is still a lie? Yeah. There's some truth in that. 

This book really got me thinking. I can identify with Annabel sometimes. I don't think I'm a liar. I do my best to be honest, but I know I hold things back sometimes. Maybe I don't want to hurt someone's feelings or I don't want to cause contention. Both instance are warranted, but there are even times when I just give a noncommittal answer like "I don't care" when I do or "I'm Fine" when I'm not. So, I've really been trying to give an honest answer, even if he seems like it doesn't matter. When asked how I am, I'll say "pretty good" or "tired, but good" or "I feel like crap". Seems small, but it has made a difference. Untruths can be a burden. 

Honestly (ha), I've always been one to hold things back. Keeper of secrets. Shy to a fault when I was younger. Only spoke when necessary. I've come out of that a lot, but there are still times when I hold back. And it sucks. It's just a part of my character. Breaking through that is difficult, but the more honest I am, the lighter that burden gets. 

So that is my new resolve. To be honest. How honest are you, truthfully?  

With Resolve

Hey, guys. I'm baaaaaack. : )


After the marathon of blogging that was November, I needed a break. I didn't really plan on making it all of December, but it kinda turned out that way. *shrug*

I'm okay with it.


But here I am! And here is the new year. 2013. Wow. Kinda came outta nowhere. Not really, but ya know.


Honestly, full-on, hard-core resolutions never work out well for me. But I do have a few things I'd like to work on. And goals. Wanna hear them? MMkay.

1. Move Out. Yes, I am currently still living at my parent's house. Just as I did before college, after college, and now. It is really REALLY nice to not pay rent, but the commute to work is killing me and I am in desperate need of my own space. Definitely happening in the next month or two. Possibly in a 2 bedroom with my sister, Ashleigh. Makes rent cheaper and probably best all around. I also need a kitchen of my own for goal number 2
2. Start my own business. This plan scares the living crap out of me. No lie. But I have been doing an increasing number of cakes recently and I think with some effort and a lot of help, I could make this thing for real. I've had offers to help so it's still in early early EARLY stages and I'd be starting small, but it's something I want to make happen. I'll keep you updated. 
3. Accept Myself. This one's pretty personal. Yes, I have trouble with body image and self confidence and whatnot. As most do. I just want to be more comfortable in my own skin. Long and on-going process, I know. Just needed to put it out there. 
4. Eat Healthier and Exercise regularly. This one goes along with number 3. It's pretty cliched this time of year, but applicable. I've done it before. I can do it again. I'm still Vegetarian and I have no plans to stop. But also, I need to cut down on cheese. I love it SO MUCH. Too much. Yeeeahhhh. Need to work on that. I'm even leaning toward Vegan. I don't really enjoy eggs and I haven't been drinking milk for a long time. I don't know. We'll see. May not be total, just hints of it. Anyway.
5. Letting Go. This one's pretty serious. There's a lot of crap that I tend to hold on to. It piles up and gradually drags me down. Memories, guilt, regrets... Gotta let go. And people. I keep in contact sometimes with people who do no good for me and possible do harm. I did quite a Facebook friend purging today. Felt really good. Hopefully won't be the need for that often, but I'll be quicker with the unfriend button, that's for sure. Some don't deserve to be in my life. And I deserve better. Quality, not quantity.

Well, I think that's more than enough for now. Got pretty heavy there at the end. Oops! So, here's to new beginnings! A fresh start. : )

Any resolutions, official or otherwise, you'd like to share? I'd love to read them.

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 30: Self Portrait

This photo is not just of me but I took it and I'm in it!! So it totally counts. : ) Time with my sisters is rare and priceless so I treasure it!! A trip to the temple, Cafe Rio, and a movie made for a brilliant closing for November. It was a great challenge and I'm SO glad I did it!! But I'm ready for a break. Challenge became a chore somewhere along the way. But I'll be around. : ) So much to be grateful for! And I'm thankful for the reminder.

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 29: Light

This quote was the first thing I thought of when I saw that the subject for today was light. I think it is always worth remembering and applies to so many situations. It's a little obscure, but this is MY project. : ) And Dumbledore is awesome!!

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 28: Night

Nighttime is the BEST time. : ) I've always been a night-owl. I get the tendency from both sides of my family, it seems. Even if it's against my better judgement or common sense, I still seem to stay up way too late! Right now, I'm up late watching a movie. "I.Q." To be exact. Have you seen it? SO GREAT. :D

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 27: Daily Routine

I am a big BIG fan of routines. It's hard to truly represent my routine through a few photos, but it'll do. Alarm. Running late (of course). Drive up the canyon. Make yummy and pretty things. It's not a bad life. ; )

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 26: Transportation

This is my beloved Chevy Blazer. I've had Belinda (yes, she has a name) for almost 4 years. She has her quirks and is currently attempting to make me broke. But I'm fighting back by letting it go until it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to fix it. ; ) I kid. Sorta. But really, she's been good to me. She also functions as my storage facility for snowboarding crap. She does really well at that!! Haha. I'm grateful to have it in whatever capacity right now.

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 25: Artwork

I never have been good at anything traditionally artistic: drawing, painting, sculpting, etc. But I have found a creative outlet in food. I do enjoy the presentation and precision it takes to make things look good along with tasting good. Here's a small representation of what I've done in the past.

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 24: Gratitude

Seems like a vague subject for today, but whatever. I found this quote and felt like it fit the bill. I'm all about the quotes. : )

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 23: Closet

Here it is! In all its cramped and tiny glory. : ) No cleaning took place before photographing. Keepin' it real! Baha. Mostly consists of graphic tees, which remains my preferred item of clothing. Grateful for a full closet and a place to put it all! : )

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 22: Clothing

I focused on my favorite item of clothing: t-shirts! I have more than my fair share of graphic tees but I just can't get enough! I love how as you go about your day, one person can recognize the reference and just for that second, you're connected. Puts a smile in my face. : )

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 21: Where You Sleep

My bed. I love it!! Queen-sized and glorious. Even more fantastic after sleeping on a futon all Summer. ; ) So grateful for a roof over my head and a comfortable bed! : )

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 20: Seasonal

Tis the season to be thankful. Obviously, considering the holiday and I've been doing this challenge the WHOLE MONTH. 2/3 way through! Woot. : ) It is also the season of PIE!!! No doubt, the most exciting part of the meal. These picture are from last Thanksgiving. I actually had the day off and spent it with some great friends whom I miss. (This means you, Kim!! : ) ) Tomorrow is pie-making day. No work. But I do in fact work on Thursday this year. : / Sigh. I am thankful for my job, though!!

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 18: Something New

Hmmm. Something new. I just went literal and posted some of my newest purchases and interests. My newest TARDIS t-shirt from Doctor Who. I think I'm up to 5! My new boots that I absolutely LOVE, even though I'm not shoe person. And my most recent obsession, Mr. Marcus Mumford, lead singer of the band Mumford & Sons. THEY. ARE. SO. GREAT. And he is rather attractive. ; ) So, yeah!

Gratitude Photo Challenge Day 17: Memories

Ah, memories. Top left is my friend Kim and I at the Birds of Prey skiing competition in Beaver Creek, Colorado, last year. It was really fun! Top right is a trip to IKEA with my youngest sister, Alex, that was bizarre and awesome that resulted in her in a box. And the bottom is with my youngest sisters and our dad at my cousin's wedding last year. Really good times. : )

p.s. I did in fact do the challenge yesterday (Saturday) and posted it everywhere but didn't get it on blogger. So. Whoops! ; ) Catching up.