Tuesday Tune

Happy Tuesday!  I've rounded up some new favorites of mine - I'm not sure how they've slipped through the cracks but I recently heard them and want to share with you.


"...this is the beginning of your day, life is more intricate than it seems, always be yourself along the way, living through the spirit of your dreams..."





"...and I never knew before but I feel like a child in a cold, cold war, so strong, so tough, sitting in suburbia, waiting for the wind up, and I don't want to dance... I just want to jump from the prison of circumstance..."

Tuesday Tune

For the couple days we had a car in Hawaii this song kept popping up on the local radio station (Island 98.5, my favorite!).  The second song is one that's been on repeat lately, very upbeat.  Have a great Tuesday (is it too early to countdown to the weekend?)!

Hana Hou!

Hello, friends!  J and I had such an awesome and relaxing vacation on Oahu and have had an extra treat of a whole weekend at home to regroup (you know how it is after a vacation - all of a sudden you have things to do!).  

The Hawaiian phrase hana hou roughly translates to do it again or encore and on this Monday as my body sits in my cubicle at work, my mind is still on the island... so, friends, let us travel back to Hawaii - can you feel the steady breeze, warm sun, richly humid air?  I am transported back in an instant!

For ten days we hardly did anything but relax, sunbathe, swim, eat, read, people-watch, and nap on the world famous Waikiki beach.  We did, however, see Pearl Harbour and rent a Jeep (awesome!) for two days to drive around the island.  I was able to show J the UH campus, Pali lookout, and my other favorite beaches around the island, among other beautiful sights.  

I'll be sharing more photos throughout the week - no harm in extending that holiday feeling for as long as possible!  It is just what we needed!

Aloha & Tuesday Tune

Friends, J and I are on a plane right now (or maybe we are on the beach?) heading for Oahu, Hawaii for a glorious 10 days!  So, aloha!  And see you all on the 14th!

And I have to leave you with a sweet song (somewhat cliche I suppose) from the islands:

 

Tuesday Tune

I'm really feeling this song and it's message right now!  It is slow and soft and (I think) reassuring.

"When the night comes, and you lay your weary head to rest, no more trials, no tests, when the night comes... you don't have to be afraid, of any choice you made... when the night comes, don't be afraid... you're only dreaming..." 

Freedom

I love this so much:

"There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally."  [Don Miguel Ruiz]

This has always been a struggle for me because I find it natural to absorb how people treat me and how it makes me feel (good or bad) and it can be both so damaging and fulfilling.  I don't believe either is very healthy - ideally I'd like to be able to filter people's unpleasantness and separate it from myself.  Rationally, this makes sense to me, but emotionally it is a different story.  I find myself getting (and staying) so upset over the way I am sometimes treated because in my mind I cannot reconcile the person's behavior towards me.  It is a vicious cycle - why do I waste my time worrying?  I am my own being, independent of how others are feeling or acting, and I can go on with my day without being altered by comments.  Easier said than done and an article awhile ago on Tiny Buddha really hit home for me and validated my concerns.

The article, When We Hurt People Because We're Hurting, touched my heart with these words:  

"...Most of us have felt pain burning like a hot coal in our hands, and felt desperate to unload it, somehow, somewhere... None of us deserve misdirected rage from a family member, coworker, or stranger... We all have a responsibility to learn healthy ways to cope..."

 Most of the time I am emotionally stable (it didn't happen overnight) but I realize my self worth and value in a way that helps me deal with the everyday - sometimes things can wear on us and it is then that I find myself slipping away a little from the place I know I belong.  I appreciated this article so much in a time when I needed to hear those words.  Thank you, Tiny Buddha!

Friends, do you ever feel this way?  How do you stop internalizing things you know you shouldn't? 

Photos taken by me, November 2011, in Ranakpur, India.

The Homely Place

Nat over at The Homely Place designs lovely colorful and inspired prints and now offers her pretty images on mugs and tea towels.  How perfect for my kitchen!  She has started a People Fund account which is a place to feature your creative projects and raise funds.  Cheers to you, Nat!  I think it's a great place to support artists!  Please visit her shop and see her pretty designs - I can't wait to have one of her tea towels in my kitchen!  You can read more about her venture here on her blog.  (By the way, how great is her video?)

Thanks, Nat!