This is a $200 prize which I really, really, really want to win.

For your chance, head over to this link: http://www.giveawayscoop.com/blog/giveaway-scoop-launches-today-plus-win-a-kindle-fire/

Does any one still read this blog? Do you have this on your google reader and read what sporadic posts pop up your reader homepage?

I’m struggling with a reinvention of my blog but I need to know people are still reading. I don’t care if you’re from Utah or Michigan or Timbuktu – please just let me know you read my blog by commenting or emailing me. Or even better, if we pass in the grocery store, say hi.

So much has happened in the past few months. I moved to Utah, Jeremy and I broke up, I got my own place (in Provo) … yeah, life has definitely changed!

Hopefully I’m not just talking to myself and someone out there still reads this. I won’t be posted details of the breakup, but I will make a conscious effort to start blogging again!

I move to Utah in just a few short days!

Today was my last day at work. So sad. We went to Eastside Mario’s after our rental out in Rochester and had a great dinner. I love relaxing like that with people from work – everyone who works there is just amazing. Between them and my family I hate to leave Michigan.

But … Friday around 6am my sister and I are leaving to make the 26+ hour drive to Midvale, UT where my apartment is. At least Jeremy’s a little bit settled in. He may not have purchased any groceries in the weeks he’s been out there but at least he knows where the nearest grocery stores are. He’s been purchasing 1-2 Sunday papers too so I’ll have plenty of coupons to clip and sort when I get out there.

I start my new job next Wednesday, it’s a little nerve-wracking considering I’ve never actually met the people I’ll be working for, only talked over the phone. But Jeremy has met them and I know we’ll all get along great.

Phew, still so much to do though! If you’re my friend on facebook you may have even seen a “before” shot of the garage. I just don’t know how we collected so much STUFF.

Don’t forget to watch the Travel Channel this Wednesday night:

A new study finds that women are measurably happier on weekends than during the workweek. Not surprised? Here’s the good part: You can keep your day-off high (and its health benefits) going Monday through Friday.

1. Eat Lunch with Friends: Schedule a weekly catchup over sandwiches with pals who work nearby, or say yes to the next happy hour invitation from coworkers. “Our study found that during the week, people don’t feel as much connectedness with others,” says Richard Ryan, Ph.D. You can fix that, and it’s worth it, since that weekday loneliness hurts your health, too.

2. Ask for More Responsibiility at Work: The ability to set your own agenda is one reason most people feel happier and healthier on weekends, says Ryan. To get more of that kind of control Monday through Friday, ask to take a leadership role at work or to have more say in your work hours. (If that’s not in the cards, having a hobby could also make you feel more self-directed, Ryan says.)

3. Take a Walk During Your Break: Women tend to be more active on the weekend- and it’s part of what makes them happier then. “Physical activity is a big mood improver, so try to get some exercise during the workweek,” says Ryan. A 20 minute walk will do wonders.

– Amy Levin-Epstein (Glamour, July 2010)

I’m in the process of moving all my posts over from my old blog. Also, I’m working on the layout and widgets so please ignore the mess, it’s not usually like this.

via party perfect

via Leo Babauta.
The word “drama” has taken on an interesting meaning in recent years, beyond the performance form of fiction it’s traditionally signified: “making a big deal over something unnecessarily”.

It’s about making a big production of something, when you could simply get on with things.

Interestingly, the word “drama” comes from the Greek word for “action”, which in itself derives from a word that means “to do”. And doing turns out to be the answer for unnecessary “drama” (which, by the way, you would be wise to save for your mama or other such parental figure, according to popular television).

What’s the problem with drama? For one, as the urban definition implies, it’s unnecessary. There’s no need for histrionics when you can talk about and deal with things calmly. There’s no need to get overly emotional when you can breathe, release the tensions, and focus on being happy, now, in the moment.

It complicates things, makes a big deal of little things, and ignores the little things that should be a big deal: little things like simple pleasures, and gratitude, and the simple wonderful existence of life.

Drama makes life harder. If you lose your job, you can go into a depression (perhaps understandably) and lose your home and have a hard time finding a job again — often because of the depression. But if instead you stay calm, perhaps take the view that this is a fresh start and a way to pursue the dream you’ve never had the time to pursue, look at it as a way to learn new skills and reinvent yourself … things won’t be so hard.

If you have gotten fat, instead of making a big deal about it, go outside for a walk, and make it a simple daily habit (perhaps gradually turning it into a jog). And then just start eating fresher foods — fruits and veggies and beans and nuts — rather than unhealthy foods. Start cooking for yourself instead of eating fast food. The drama will only serve to get you depressed and fatter. Simply getting on with it will solve the problem, rather easily if you don’t make a big deal of it.

How to Stop the Drama
So when you feel yourself getting worked up about something — a coworker not pulling his weight, a spouse who isn’t living up to your expectations, a daughter who isn’t doing as well at school as you’d like — stop the drama.

Breathe. Let it go. Breathe in, taking in the peace of the world. Breathe out, and let the tensions and frustrations flow out of you. Repeat until the drama is gone.

And then simply be, in the moment, right now. When we get worked up about something, it’s usually about something that has already happened (in the past) or something that might happen, that’s coming up (in the future). Forget about all that right now (you can reflect on it later, when you’re calmer and dispassionate). Right now, focus on what you’re doing. This might be sitting in front of a computer, reading. Or walking. Or drinking a glass of water. Washing dishes. Driving. That’s what you’re doing, in the moment. That’s all you should think about. As you feel your mind returning to the past or the future, return it gently to what you’re doing right now. It takes practice.

Simply get on with it. Do what you need to do to calmly address the situation. Deal with it, in as simple a manner as possible. Forget all the complications — just do.

Overwhelmed with too much to do? Breathe, focus on what you are doing right now, and just focus on getting that done.

Tired of your horrible job? Breathe, focus on now, and do what needs to be done to deal with it.

Annoyed by someone? Let it go. Focus on what you’re doing, right now. And just get on with it.

If you start getting worked up again, start back at the first step.

Also, your mother probably doesn’t need your drama either, just fyi.

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