All the sorrow and trouble...

of this world is caused by unhappy people. The search for contentment is, therefore, not merely a self-benefiting act, but also a generous gift to the world.

~Elizabeth Gilbert

Maybe I'm just buying some self-justification with this quote, but I think it's a nice idea. And kind of true??

Above all...

watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."

~Roald Dahl

I'm loving this song for real.

This is a song that is not embarrassing for me to have in my library.

Listen to it.

Immediately.

On repeat.

Also this song makes me happy.

(I guess the media player doesn't show up in Google Reader, so hop on over to the blog. You'll be happy you did.)

Euthanasia is my drug.

At least, it will need to be if I hear this song again.

I detest it. There is absolutely nothing about it I like. I didn't even want to put the video on my blog, especially because STOP RUINING AFRICA WITH YOUR STUPID MUSIC.

Note: I have no idea what's in any of these videos, so don't hold me accountable. I know the Lady Gaga video is weird, because, well, it's Gaga -- so I did find another version for that.

Which I find confusing. Since I LOVE this song:

And this song:

I even pretty much like this song:

And, heck, I even sort of love this one:

Guilty pleasures? Maybe. But let's go on a road trip and blast them out the window, k?

Some days...

when you walk out of your house, you convince yourself that you look better than you do, because you can't do anything to look better.

Such is the case today.

"Self, I know your skin is pale and your eyes are puffy and glazed -- yet simultaneously sunken hollows. I know your lips have a lost all color and you have somewhat of a gray pallor. BUT no one will be able to tell you're sick. Maybe they'll just notice your leopard print shoes, or your colorful earrings. Plus, makeup can totally help."

And then you walk into a room to join a conference call and the only other person in the room announces to the call, "Elizabeth looks like she's going to die."

I ALMOST DIED!

I almost died at work today. A 2 foot x 4 foot slab of 1/2 inch thick plywood smashed to the ground. RIGHT. NEXT. TO. ME.

At first, I was like Chicken Little and ran around yelling, "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" And then I looked up to see the hole in the sky.

That's when I realized it was a slab of plywood. A slab of plywood that was right above my head.

Fortunately, for some unknown reason, it fell to the left as it was falling. Because, no joke, I was standing right under it. Basically, I'm lucky to be alive. Whether or not you're lucky that I'm alive is a whole 'nother matter.

In memoriam.

I used to have this planter in my front yard. But it was taken away. By a nameless Homeowners' Association. Seriously. I don't even know who to call about it. I didn't like it, but you can't just take my property! If they'd asked me, I would have happily said, "Sure. Take it away." Or planted some flowers. (I thought the jumped the gun a little, barely even gave me time to plant after the snow stopped falling. Don't most people plant Mother's Day weekend? Seriously.)

BUT.

They didn't take it before someone added this (please ignore the dead plants -- I mentioned it was still early in the year, right? -- and poor iPhone photo focus):

to the collection of lawn ornaments they added last year. Exhibits A and B.

Style for substance.

Watch this video. It's of a woman who wore the same dress every day for a year (but still manages to make it look totally different through accessories and pairing and such) to raise money for kids to go to school. Coolio.

As seen on a bathroom stall just outside Nephi, UT.

Sleep safe!

Sleep with a

SOLDIER

MARINE!

Mathematician

I got new glasses.

I must confess: the change felt more dramatic than it is. Especially when I looked at these pictures side-by-side. (I can't really say that I knew exactly what I looked like in my new glasses, since I was blind and relied completely on two adorable friends to tell me which of the 200 options looked best.)

No wonder no one at the office noticed my lunchtime eyewear change. Note to self: For a major statement, should have gone for the green glasses.

OLD

NEW

I'll consider it a modern update to an old classic. What do you guys think?