happy hearts day.

i am by no means "that girl." the one that begrudgingly wear a pink scarf to work on february 14th, the one on the brink of tears when flowers are delivered to someone else's front porch, the one who blames Hallmark and the floral industry for a holiday the catholic church sanctioned around 498 AD, the one who wants to throw things at any couple passing by.

oh, hell no.

i love valentine's day.

pink and red? flowers and treats? a twinkle in the hopeful eyes everywhere? amazing.

and heck, if it means that people pull their heads out of their butts for even five seconds to realized how lucky they have it to have someone to love, then that should make up for any sourpusses out there.

if you have someone to think about on february 14th, you are lucky. whether that person is someone you have in your life, or someone you had in your life, or someone you are looking forward to having in you life, you are lucky. if an otherwise be a mundane day is visited by the thought of love, whether it's the flirty guy that works at starbucks, the innocence of your first kiss, or your love for your childhood pet, then you are lucky.

when you stop and look around, no matter what day of the year it is, we're all pretty lucky.

and if taking an extra minute out of your day to write a card to a certain friend, or give a significant other a token of affection, or even letting the other person choose the tv show for the night, is depressing, then damn...i think your priorities are off.

valentine's day goodies from:

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happy valentine's day.

embrace the spring in your step. i know i will.

flicker of the campfire.

well, it's official. summer 2010 is upon us and i could not be more excited.

this summer, i'm headed up to bearskin meadow camp for the 19th year.

when i was 16 & 17, i was a counselor-in-training at bearskin and can confidently say that it was one of the most impactful experiences of my life. those two summers influenced me to challenge myself and better my life through friendships, teamwork and leadership. it lead to my employment for six of the past seven summers, college admissions, an internship and experiences i never would have pursued otherwise. most significantly, my experience at camp has led to some of the most meaningful relationships i have ever had.

i could not be happier to say that i will be returning this summer. i was offered the position of leader-in-training (the updated cit program) coordinator, and i immediately knew that i had to take the position. it has been my dream since i was 16 to be able to influence teens the way my cit coordinators influenced me (thank you jeff, suzy and tracy). with careful medical schedule planning, and perfect timing for MM & TM's wedding, i was able to make it work. none of it will be easy. i have been interviewing teens for the past few weeks, and the expectations are high. more than anything, my expectations for the program are the ones i have to worry about. because this program has made such a difference in my life, i want it to mean the same thing to the participants.

i will have to take a break at some point during a session to come down the hill to get treatment back here in the city. knowing that, i told JG (my camp boss and previous fellow 2001/2002 cit) that i will need strong support staff that i can rely on when i have to return to the real world for 36 hours. luckily for me, after nearly 5 years, i have reunited with EW, a dear friend from my first summer as cit. i am so happy to have him back in my life, and the even better news is that he has decided to work the program with me, and "inspire the next generation of us" as he likes to say.

i am incredibly excited to spend six weeks of my summer in kings canyon national park and at the place that i will always be able to call home.

chin up.

smile at strangers.

i don't want to become one of those bloggers that simply posts images found on other websites and blogs, but to be perfectly honest, i kind of can't help myself. when i find things i love, i drag them into a file on my desktop that i frequently visit, causing me to smile.

so, now i will share. it is also a good quickie blogging option for a 8-hour-day "part-time" job gal like myself.

this is truly how i feel. and what i try and do every day. i may forget to dress my best as i run out the door to work, but the rest i make sure i do. everything from making eye contact with, greeting and thanking my bus driver to making sure that i am attentive i can be at work and home, and letting my mom know how much i love her, i try my best to live by these rules. i would say that it's a pretty good list to live by.

also, i think that you should listen to a guilty pleasure song on a daily basis.

an instant pick-me-up.

(because of my casual system, i have absolutely no idea where so many of these images come from,

meaning that i can not properly credit the artists. i apologize to all for that.)

bubble yum.

this makes me happy. 

found on penelope dullaghan.

penelope dullaghan does some really cute things. ("things" meaning illustrations and prints.) 

you just can't help but smile.

there are more to be found here as well.

must have.

this is really cute. 

i wish i could guesstimate my size. 

found on fred flare.

national cheer up the lonely day

it may be easier said than done, but i sure can try.

turn up the music.

start a gratitude journal.

accept compliments.

send yourself flowers.

put on your best outfit and work on your catwalk.

call a long-lost friend.

sing in the shower 

go outside. take a deep breath.

forgive and forget.

list goals you'll accomplish by the end of this year.

make brownies.

and most importantly:

fingerpaint.

hopefully these will help:

The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson

That's the Way (I Like It) - KC & the Sunshine Band

I've Got the World on a String - Frank Sinatra

Dancing in the Street - Martha Reeves & the Vandells

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah - Louis Armstrong

Come On Get Happy - The Partridge Family

That's the Way (I Like It) - KC & the Sunshine Band

Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond

Life Is a Highway - Tom Cochrane

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life - Monty Python