let it in. let it out.

lighted peace sign - made by dad - napa, ca

how joyful the simplicity.

it snows on main street.

small world - disneyland - anaheim, ca

the magic of christmas lights!

the magic of believing in magic!

that day, santa, micky, minnie--the whole gang--was real.

take a moment.

serenity mug - by rae dunn - lifeisgood, ca

we are way too wired. i know that i check my iphone facebook app more than i'd like. and i can't resist checking the constant email stream, even when i'm at home attempting to relax.

we must disconnect so we don't lose our ability to relish silence completely. whaddaya say?

the holidays and all of the stuff they made.

gingerbread spatulas - sur la table - berkeley, ca

christmastime is the only time that i appreciate kitchy things. bring on the tree-shaped muffins and snowglobes. bring on the spirit of the season!

what?!

green glasses - my cabinet - oakland, ca

you thought i forgot about this baby?
don't be silly.

a noble fir and a second chance.

ornaments for you and for me - my tree - oakland, ca

jon and i purchased our first christmas tree together at de lancey's christmas tree lot on broadway in oakland. their organization gives former convicts a chance at employment after incarceration. george, the man who spun several trees around for us in effort to find our fit, provided some of the best customer service i've encountered.

after a year of challenge and change, it was such a great feeling to witness what a bit of faith and hard work can lead to. a merry christmas it will be, indeed.

tip your treemen generously.

mona, put your shirt on.

glitter work - vacant victorian - sf, ca

there is so much humor in questionable taste. life would be pretty boring if everyone walked around dressed completely normal, saying average things. here's to the crazies. and to those who fill our days with chuckles and ear-to-ear grins.

free and clear.

mega chandelier - somewhere - lv, nv

on thursday august 18th, 2011, i changed my own life. i was resolved and clear-headed. i was strong and unafraid. i looked a situation straight in the face, and told it that i was finished. therein, i began to let go of a set of behaviors--enabling, co-dependency, negative thinking, self-doubt--that no longer aligned with my chosen path.

here's to being bold.

gathering peace of mind.

mini hot air balloons - bellagio - lv, nv

take what you like and leave the rest.

i'm applying this principle to so many things these days. and i've found that others have quite a lot to offer if i give them an air space free of judgement. we are all different, yes, but our journeys often speak the same language. for that, i'm grateful.

one...one...one...one...together.

all the colors - venetian glass - lv, nv

it feels like a lot right now.

but we'll take it one day at a time.

the sound of the clasp.

celine celine celine - nm - sf, ca

simplicity, integrity, and impeccable construction are three things that i value in life and in accessories. love is certainly enough to sustain me, but if i had thirty-five hundred dollars just laying around, i would happily pick up that baby blue and make it mine.

mmmm.mm.

hold the milestone. make a wish. throw it into the wind.

watching the fog roll - strawberry canyon - berkeley, ca

three hundred posts later, i am still grateful for this little blog.

may i be wiser still.

resolved. then and now.

bench - above panoramic place - berkeley, ca

it is so important to commit to yourself, and i like the idea of having a symbol of that commitment somewhere where you can be reminded of it daily. for five years i had a single strand of tiny, amber glass beads on thread around my wrist. for five years i showered with it and fiddled with it when i was nervous or anxious. it became a part of me and my daily goings. a few weeks ago, though, i looked down to see that it had finally fallen. i hadn't even noticed. and that i hadn't noticed sort of surprised me, but in the end, i prefer it that way. that day--whichever day it was--closed a chapter of so much searching and growth.

on friday, july 29, 2011, i started yet another beginning. i bought a slight, knotted gold band, and it will be with me for the next leg of my great progression.

do do do do.

fog spritz - strawberry canyon - berkeley hills, ca

it feels good to make things happen.

be proactive.

get inspired.

clean lines all the time.

a la lce - my studio - oakland, ca

i am so inspired by the possibility of interior space. vogue.com's "apt with lsd" series provides a peak into the homes/lofts/cottages of an eclectic well-to-do set. tons of great ideas. lots to aspire to and draw from.

check it out.

hellOakland

letters and lights - cafe van kleef - oakland, ca

sometimes you walk into a bar only to meet a berkeley jail correctional officer and his martial-arts-master-slash-painter friend named royal. the pair surprises you just as oakland does. each of them--the men and my new home--is in tune with the world and filled with gratitude and good vibes.

sunshine, fruits, and veggies :)

confetti - warriors game - oakland, ca

mangos and avocados everywhere!

summer, i can feel you!

new roots in new soil.

grasses growing - home - napa, ca

so you've found yourself in a workplace pot that is lifeless. your soil meant to inspire is dry. the wage water comes seldom, if ever. the only thing keeping you going are your roots, and even they need a bit of restoration.

so get to it.

get inspired.

take growth into your own hands.

and put yourself in a better pot.

for strangers and kin.

stamped on a house - filbert st - sf,c a

when i see a placard--whether it be on a bench, on a building, or on the ground--i feel an overwhelming desire to decipher what is says. if you were to have one made, what would it say? and where would you put it?

path to becoming gm, baby.

favorite tree - filbert street - sf, ca

i am SO proud of jon libbey.

the oakland athletics couldn't have chosen a better intern.

<3

(!!!!!!)

panamanda.

down jasper alley - north beach - sf, ca

one of my very best friends, amanda scott terry, is far away in panama, three months into her twenty-seven month peace corps adventure. she is an incredible woman, and i thought that well before she decided to offer herself up for service. but now, knowing that she is en route to a village sans electricity, sans running water, sans internet and cell phones, i am all the more humbled by her involvement. if anyone can thrive and impact others along the way, it's my girl amandita.

sending positivity and gratitude for the inspiration.

MAgirl!

grin to the drops.

the possibilities - wooden letters - sf, ca

so what if it's raining. get over it. look at how amazing your life is! people love you. you have interests and friends and a cozy bed with cotton jersey sheets. you choose what you'd like to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. you have a lamp on your bedside table and two candles on your desk if you're feeling ambitious. oh, and you're going to miss your boots once summer rolls along, so just go with it. remember your umbrella. say oops instead of shit when you inevitably step into water that's way deeper than expected. we are lucky. this is the lucky stuff, i tell you.

cristóbal of color.

anemone flower bundles - fresh from the farmer's market - sf, ca

tonight is the opening of the balenciaga and spain exhibition at the de young museum. if you're interested in fashion and the dying art of couture, i suggest you pay a visit (now through july 4, 2011).

i.l.y.

carved in stone - i heart you - half moon bay, ca

i believe in valentine's day. check my blog a year back and you'll find confirmation that i've been a proponent for years. what's not to love? the red, the pink, the romance, the free pass to be as cheesy and mushy as humanly possible.

so boys, be a good sport. get your woman something thoughtful. something silly. and girls, don't take yourself or the day too seriously. have a picnic in your living room, put on some tina turner, and entertain yourselves :)

love.

love.

love.

be smart and happy at the same time.

printed plates - forgetting by whom - work, sf

keep your perspective.

be rational.

remain balanced.

and thank those you love.

and love those who love you.

:)

it's all a celebration. it's all not the end of the world.

bathtub full of champagne - wine shop on college ave - berkeley, ca

my biggest resolution for the coming year is to be constantly mindful of my own fortune. i want to be grateful and express my gratitude on daily basis. so far, in these first two weeks of 2011, my temper and my need for control have been tested, but i have been reminded by many great minds that change is certainly not the end of the world. quite the contrary, actually. these next, new steps will be exciting, and perhaps it was time for a change anyway.

welcome to the new year.