Always, Megs

Lately I've been thinking more and more about creativity; the kind you have when you're a child. The kind where hours go by with just you and your thoughts. Where the day-to-day worries and frustrations don't creep in and take over. The kind where you have to be brought out of your reverie by your mother calling for you at dinner time. I've wanted to gently let this kind of creativity back into my life. So below are five ways I am learning to let creativity back in. I hope they inspire you to open the door to a more creative life. What are some ways you let out your creativity every day? Let me know in the comments.

1. Put down the devices. I know for myself, it is super hard to put down my phone after a long day of work. I love to quote, unquote turn off my brain and let me mind relax. However, wasting time scrolling through other's curated pictures on Instagram is not the most relaxing way to wind up a hard day (especially when that "fear of missing out" or jealousy starts creeping in). Even if I don't end up doing anything that I would deem creative, I think it's important to have social media breaks and not to use my phone like a crutch for when I'm tired at the end of the day.
2. Join a club, take a class, etc. Some of my best memories are from my choir days. Time spent with others who loved music and who came together in song. There was such creative energy flowing. Joining a choir, taking a dance class with the hubby, or starting a book club are all ways to get those creative juices flowing.
3. Practice saying no. It's ok to say no to things that hinder your creativity, or take up extra space in your life. And on that note...
4. Set aside time to be creative. Whether it's three hours on the weekend practicing your craft or thirty minutes a day journaling before bed, it is imperative to schedule it in (and then keep the appointment with yourself!). 
5. Let yourself just be. In today's world, it has become hard for me to sit with my own thoughts. I'm constantly in a rush, despite having some many options to save myself time. When I try to sit and let myself be, I feel guilty, like I should be doing something (even if that something is just googling a question I had earlier). So I'm trying to practice, letting myself be, without the constant influx of information from my phone, the computer, television...sometimes it's nice to just be alone with my thoughts; after all JK Rowling thought of Harry Potter while sitting on a train...

Towards the tail end of our honeymoon, Jimmy and I were in Florence, and decided one morning to hop on a train to Venice for the day, and it was one of the best decisions we made on our honeymoon. We'd heard mixed things about the city, but despite the crowds and the heat, we loved it! It was such a magical city, and you could just feel the history around every corner. We loved getting lost in the streets and the mysterious canals and passageways. We definitely need to plan to spend more than 5 hours there in the future.

We spent the first two weeks of married life on a Honeymoon in Italy. We started off in Sorrento, headed to the Amalfi Coast and stayed in Positano, and finished off in Florence. It was a truly amazing experience, and I'm pretty sure we've said a thousand times now that we want to live in Positano, it was just so magical. Thinking back on our time there makes me realize how much I yearn to slow down, live in the moment, and take one thing at a time (a feat in Southern California).

Instead of doing a traditional registry, we opted for a honeymoon registry. We would highly suggest it. At first we were nervous because we thought our guests might take it the wrong way, but everyone that we talked to loved it! It was a great way for our guests to see what we would be doing on our trip and to help us by contributing towards hotel rooms, day trips, and excursions!

On our last day in Florence, we had a photo shoot, which a guest of our paid for; it was amazing. We woke up super early and met up with our photographer at 7am before the majority of the people in town were out and about. We felt like we had the city to ourselves for the next hour as we walked around hand in hand, smiled, kissed, and sipped coffee. It's one of my favorite memories of the trip! We booked this through Flytographer and our photographers name was Sonya. She was so sweet and made it so easy. The best thing is, this company has destinations all over the world. Here are a few of my favorite photos from the trip!



So what do you guys think? Would you consider doing a honeymoon registry? For us it was definitely the best thing since we'd already been living together for 4 years and had set up house. Plus our guests got to see our pictures of how we used their gift on our vacation. And we'll definitely remember this trip for the rest of our lives.

On the 25th of June I married the love of my life. The man who has been by my side through thick and thin these last 8 years. The man with whom I want to share the rest of my days. I'll be sharing many pictures and documenting memories in the upcoming days, but for now here are a few of my favorites.



So happy to officially be a Mrs. and a wife to my best friend.

Thank you to Sun and Life photography for capturing our day.

Seasons come and go with the wind. This is an ever-changing world we live in, and I wouldn't have it any other way. My dreams often consume me, and I feel I can do little else but live in a world of tomorrows, of what's to come, of what may be.

I am trying harder and harder to focus on the here and now. To not live through other people's lives, but to consume myself with my own. I think it is so hard in this day and age to unplug, and therefore step back from comparing our lives to others. Though my dreams are all my own, I find myself too often comparing my life, to my own image of what my perfect life would be. I waste time, I waste energy, and I waste precious moments either worrying about the future, or comparing my days to images that I am bombarded with at all times.

So this season I am focusing on renewing energy. I am attempting to step back from things that suck up my energy: the internet and technology in general. I do not wish to waste my own days comparing myself to others. I want my time back. I want to daydream inside my own head, instead of daydreaming inside someone else's idea of what life should be.

There comes a time when you have to live your life day to day. When you are so consumed with worry and struggle that life becomes one big blur of the work ahead of you, and you forget to live in the moment. It is my mission this season to watch the road ahead, to follow the path that this life is taking me on, and to renew my energy and my own dreams. It's time to step back and focus on myself.

Happy Spring!

About 6 weeks ago I took the plunge and got my first tattoo! I've wanted this design for a very, very long time, and I could not be happier with how it turned out. Here' the story that goes with it:

‘World enough and time’ is quote from the poem To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell. It is a poem that is huge in its comprehension of time, and space, and love. It sums up the idea that time is racing past, taking everything with it, which is a feeling I’ve had ever since I was a little girl. This poem is also featured in my favorite novel, The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. It is used as a toast throughout the novel: ‘to world enough and time.’

The idea of time racing past, myself powerless to stop it, has plagued me for a while. When my aunt passed away a couple of years ago, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I would never have enough time. On the other hand, I kept telling myself, that life has given me a wonderful gift: the world and time, if I am brave enough to embrace it.

I love that this tattoo captures these two beliefs so perfectly. The first being that time will keep moving no matter what I do. That’s life. Then again, I’ve been given the most beautiful, glorious gift imaginable, the ability to see the world; and use the time I have here to love, go on adventures, seek new wonders, and experience all that this great world has to offer.

Now I have my own personal ‘carpe diem’ mantra with me forever.

It has been many a moon since I last wrote on this little blog of mine. I miss it terribly, but life has been so busy, and so full lately. I wanted to do a little update post since hopefully I will take the time to write and document my life again through this space. Since I last update this space I have:

• Ceased working as a nanny for my cute as a button little Hannah.
• Started Graduate School. I am on my way to being a licensed School Psychologist (one day at a time).
• I have been to Europe.
• I have gotten a tattoo.
• I have turned 24 - and then 25!
• I have gotten a puppy, who then turned into a doggy.
• I have read many books, seen many sunsets, and laughed a thousand times.
• I've seen a couple of new favourite movies.
• I've grown, I've changed, I've become.

January flew by in rushed moments, and long goodbyes. I sat in wonder as the world moved around me with my eyes hazy and my heart heavy. February rushed in and took January's place without even trying, and while there are many moments when my heart is still heavy, it brought with it the hope that there are brighter days ahead. There are so many stories that are longing to be shared. So many memories not to be forgotten. Then there are some I would rather forget. 

This month will bring joys, as well as disappointments. I will try hard to take life as it comes, and not let  it walk all over me. I will try to captain my soul as they say. 

A few moments from these past days.

At LACMA with Stanley Kubrik's camera

Also at LACMA with HAL.

New Years always makes me a bit sad. Time passing, another year gone, and all that. However, a new year holds new adventures, and I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store for me. 2012 brought with it more change, more love, and more happiness than I could have ever imagined. Who would have thought at the beginning of 2012 that I would end up here...but here is where I'm meant to be, and I wouldn't trade it for anywhere else.

I rounded up 12 pictures from 2012. It was so nice to reminisce and it reminded me of how much I've done this year...

January:

October:
 December:

Life has become very busy, very fast. The days fly by in a whirl of songs and games, and coffee. I became employed as a nanny for a cute little 21 month old girl about a month ago. She is full of life and energy and giggles. My days are brighter but go by exponentially faster, and I must admit, I miss having the time to myself that I once had. I am also in the midst of applying to grad schools, taking the GRE, and tracking down letters of recommendation from old professors and acquaintances. Needless to say, with the holidays surrounding us, I could use a break.

Jimmy and I drove to Lake Arrowhead and Stockton to celebrate Thanksgiving with our respective families. I enjoyed every minute (despite the traffic), and can't wait for the Christmas time. I'm in need of hot cocoa and Christmas movies on the couch. I hope to be done applying to schools by the time that magic part of the year comes around, but only time will tell.

This post is mainly to remind myself, that I can make time to do my own thing. There can be a balance. Even though the days fly by, life still belongs to me.

Autumn meant trick or treating with your parents? Putting on a costume and pretending for a night that you weren't really you. The one night out of the year that it was okay not to be yourself; you even got rewarded for it. It meant that school had just started and you were just getting back in the routine of pencil sharpeners, and reading for class as well as pleasure. Fall equalled trees ablaze with color, and that instead of playing outside until 9pm, you found yourself coming in to the warmth of your home and family early. That while the world around your died, you made plans to celebrate the most important things in life.

Between becoming stressed for circumstances beyond my control and the hustle and bustle of trying to find work, I found a gem of a weekend. I cannot lie to you, and say that the last couple of weeks have been easy for me. I've found myself bogged down by emotions and stressors that have not plagued my mind for some time. I kept asking myself, 'what good are you?,' 'what are you doing with your life?', and 'when will I take my life back into my own hands?' Luckily I am surrounded by an amazing man who helps me realize all that I have done in the past year, and also how much I have to look forward to. He helped get my eyes back on the horizon, and told me to focus on all the things I can and will do, instead of focusing on the moments that I have let slip past. I've realized that yesterday is finished, and tomorrow hasn't happened yet, and therefore, my only focus is today.

This weekend we got our of the house and into real life again. We piled into the car and braved the LA traffic to see an early screening of Flight, had the best tacos of my life at a little hole in the wall place in LA (seriously, better than the ones I had IN Mexico), walked outside our front door to the annual pumpkin festival, and saw the Perks Of Being A Wallflower, which had me in tears by the end (I told Jimmy that every time Emma Watson came on screen, I felt like a mother watching her child on stage...insanely proud, but so nervous that something would go wrong). We ended the weekend by cuddling up on the couch and watching Sleepy Hollow (a tad disappointing when you realize instead of being scary, it's Tim Burton running around doing whatever he wants).

Overall, this weekend was just what I needed to get my heart and soul back on track.