Say What?!

I read in REAL SIMPLE recently that "53% of 16- to 22-year-olds around the world would rather give up their sense of smell than their favorite personal technological device."

Ummmm...

Isn't it common knowledge that one's sense of smell is heavily linked to one's taste for food? Fact: 90% of what we believe to be taste is really due to smell. And I'm not the only person who's recognized that smell is linked to memory, too. Why? Because the part of our brain that deals with smell is also the part that deals with emotion, behavior, and mood*

So, I've gotta say to those 53% of 16- to 22-year-olds...

You're doofuses. For reals.


Here's to the rest of us who aren't absurd enough to give up our sense of SMELL. Please enjoy, my nosey readers:

The musty smell of leaves during Fall.



The airy and sweet smell of fresh flowers.



The salty, sweaty, sunscreeny smell of the beach.



The maple, nutty, buttery smell AND taste of banana bread!



The crisp woodsy smell of the mountains.



The girl-i-fied smell of hair and body products!



The taste and smell of a beautiful glass of wine.



The thick ,spicy, smokey smell of incense.

The warm and sleepy smell of your husband's skin.




One of my favorite smells AND tastes: COFFEE!



The crisp, cold, clean smell of snow.



The bread-and-buttery smell and cheesy taste of grilled cheese!

I certainly told those technologically-obsessed tots what's what, didn't I? ;)

Help put those Crackberries to shame by sharing what smells and/or tastes delight YOUR senses?

* info taken from http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1575

27 before 27: FAIL

Seeing as my birthday is in less than a month, I've been thinking a lot about my 27 before 27: FAIL. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself? I suppose FAIL is a harsh word when it comes to a self-improvement to-do list, isn't it? Then maybe "eh" is a more appropriate adjective for my efforts, as I only crossed off a few things (three) on my "27 New Things" list, including arranging an employee art show at work, reading and discussing a book with friends, and giving up online shopping for an entire month (I'm officially on month two, if you can imagine).

To be honest, I'm pretty happy with myself for doing ANY of the things on my list. Though three measly things ain't impressive and though the three things weren't exactly extraordinary, they were new to me and I appreciated the experiences. So, despite my calling the project a "FAIL," it was sort of, kind of, maybe a little bit of a success, and I plan on doing it again this year (we'll see how I fair with an ADDITIONAL new thing on my list. HA!).

But, in case you're interested in giving the project a whirl for yourself, I thought it best to lay out a few pointers so that y'all have better luck than I did.

What I learned from my "eh" efforts:

1. Writing things down made me want to do them. A list created this compulsion to cross things off.

2. Making a list helps me remember things IF that list is in plain sight. 27 things are a lot to remember, so refresher glances are a good idea. Looking back, I should probably have hung a copy in my cubicle.

3. Time friggin' flies. Putting things off will eventually result in some things not getting done. In my case, it resulted in 24 things not getting done. A sad but true story.

4. Though this list shouldn't consist of only "easy" things to accomplish, it's good not to get in over your head either. Too many classes and trips cost money AND time, so be realistic. Also, beware of those new things that might involve another person's involvement/participation. As I realized, it was hard enough getting myself to commit, let alone another person.

5. No new experience is too small. Even if an item sounds silly, write it down. You first thought of it because you want to check it off your life's to-do list.

6. Have fun with it. The minute something feels like a chore or, worse yet like work, that's the minute you stop caring. Don't hold yourself too strictly to your list to the point of ONLY doing things on your list, for that would defeat the point of the project--to bask in life's vast possibilities.


That's all, folks! Go see what you think of my new and improved "28 before 28" list :)

Summer To-Do List

"Another list?" you ask. At this point in our readerly relationship, it shouldn't come as a shock, hehe :)

Summer To-Do List:

1. Go to our neighborhood swimming pool at least ONCE. And maybe even get in ;)


http://bitchpink.tumblr.com/post/5913784477

2. Mix-up a new sweet and cold summer cocktail (it may just be the "Skip," Rachel and Kyle!)

Recipe for Skips:
1 can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate.
In place of water, use vodka.
Mix in 2 light beers, a la Bud Light.

3. Eat more peanut butter. LOTS MORE.

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/ingredients-pantry/ingredient-spotlight-what-can-you-do-with-peanut-butter-094040

4. Paint with watercolors.

http://kokokoi.tumblr.com/

5. Keep our potted plant alive.

http://pqallan.tumblr.com/

 6. Eat fruit with every meal.


http://youngwildn-free.tumblr.com/post/6128444328

 7. Go to a Farmer's Market.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150112410621830

8. Pick cherries from the trees in our front yard and make cobbler :)

http://www.recipebridge.com/recipe/bing-cherry-cobbler-MjE0ODM5NzIwOTo6OjoxMjg=

 9. Wear less make-up.

 http://me-minus-heart.tumblr.com/post/828117632

10. Open doors and windows to let the breeze blow through.


http://onlyinwinchester.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/breeze.jpg

 11. Keep fresh flowers in the house.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nadia_bolshakova/5447032527/in/faves-troitsyna/

12. Listen to classical music while doing chores.


http://flickr.com/photos/snippets_from_suburbia/2302953146/

13. Learn some Spanish phrases for summery things:

"¡Qué  hermoso dia!" = "What a beautiful day!"
"Vamos a compartir un día de campo?" = "Shall we share a picnic?"
"Vamos a ver la puesta del sol." = "Let's watch the sun set."

14. Wear a big hat.

http://aliceisbacon.tumblr.com/post/3843624540/paperback-books-at-the-beach

15. Cut my hair short and shaggy.


http://www.hairstyles53.com/How-Keep-your-Shag-Hair-Cut-Looking-Shaggy-16193146



JUST KIDDING on that last one! For now, at least ;)

What are some DOs on your list this Summer???

"I've got my babies back, babies back, babies back..."

These past couple weeks, A was in Grand Junction and Bishop was in Wray, so I kept company with Broom, Vacuum, and Pledge. Surprisingly, they're alright guys, and cleaning house with them was nice. I discovered that, without my boys around to distract me, I noticed a lot more and took pleasure in my small observations. I thought I'd share a few with you in hopes that they give you pelasure, too :)

1. a clean and shiny kitchen countertop.

2. the giddy-like feeling of putting things in order.

3. decorative tassels. on a doorknob. on a lamp. on a drawer pull. on my neck...



http://www.etsy.com/listing/71771098/the-minimalist-wire-wrapped-chestnut?ref=sr_gallery_30&ga_search_query=tassel+necklace&ga_noautofacet=1&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade%2Fjewelry

 4. a full wine rack :)

5. freshly vacuumed carpets.

6. smelling burning incense from rooms away.
7. a cabinet full of mismatched coffee mugs. like these badasses...

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=18423830&CAWELAID=724099846

and this sneaky fella...


http://lickystickypicky.tumblr.com/post/61159289/another-clever-coffee-cup-you-can-hide-your

and these for good measure...

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=742582&id=100000029120455&fbid=189886294355673#!/photo.php?pid=737206&id=100000029120455&fbid=188948334449469



8. these friggin' bites of heaven...


http://dealiciousfinds.com/tom-thumb/tom-thumbsafeway-frosted-miniwheats-free-milk-deal/

9. an uncluttered and organized coffee table.

10. clean stacks of laundry...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/toriejayne/3755606103/

http://fedbybirds.tumblr.com/

http://eimikaanlastenlakritsi.blogspot.com/

11. organizing jewelry in unexpected (but pretty!) containers.

For Goodness's Sake

http://moodymommy.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/the-power-of-a-hug/

Fear Bird: Part 2

7. HEIGHTS.


http://mari11.tumblr.com/page/3

 You all know what I'm talking about. That inherent impulse to throw yourself off the edge of a cliff. Or slip beneath the guard-rail on a Ferris Wheel. Or lean a little too far over the banister of a stairwell. Edward Abbey, an American author and essayist, believed that this "pull of the heights" displayed humans' latent acrophilia (getting aroused from high altitudes). Edgar Allen Poe had a term for it--the Imp of the Perverse--"a metaphor for the common tendency to do exactly the wrong thing in a given situation; the impulse is compared to an imp (a small demon) which leads an otherwise decent person into mischief" (Wikipedia). To be honest, the naughty urge to put myself in danger Freaks. Me. Out. Now if you'd please excuse me for a moment--I'd like to eject the contents of my stomach.

8. Creaks and whumps in the dark.

http://designartwall.com/2009/05/35-free-dark-backgrounds/

Not knowing what that sound was or where that sound came from scares me.

While I acknowledge that I've seen too many scary movies AND have a highly active imagination, you try telling me that "it's all in my head" when it's 3AM, dark in the house (except for the moonlight coming through the window-shades and stretching shadows across the walls), and there's a steady creaking on the wood floors downstairs. An intruder's footsteps? Or just Dobby?


crosslandteam.com

Was that the shadow of a Peeping Tom? Or just shadow puppets?


camping-field-guide.com

 The dark is confusing. And disorienting. So what it really comes down to is the question What's real?
It's the possibility of that whooshing sound being a whisper, that blurry black blob being a person, that *click* being a door shutting that's scary.

Point is: invest in nightlights. And a bat.

9. The ocean. (My friend, B, a native Baltimoron, is gonna raise hell about this one).
I know, I know, the ebb and flow of the ocean is scientifically proven to relax people and the sound of crashing waves quiets a busy mind. I've sat on the beach and have fallen asleep to the waves' predictability and hum, so I see those statements as fact. However, this doesn't relax me...


http://blog.imjonas.com/

...nor does this...

http://minniecity.tumblr.com/

...or this, for that matter...

http://phobiia.tumblr.com/page/2

And this just looks like a "slam you into the ocean floor and force gallons of salt water down your throat" type situation...


http://holesinhappiness.tumblr.com/page/7

 Stresses. Me. Out.

I'm sure many folks, my friend B included, will argue against my ocean-phobia, claiming that my being from a land-locked state is to blame. But I've taken plenty of vacations to the beach and have had plenty of opportunities to experience the alleged glory of the sea. And you know what I've walked away with? Sand-scrapes, salt-ridden innards, and jelly-fish stings. Yikes, I say. "I scared!!!"

10. Drugs.

http://thexinfinatexabyss.tumblr.com/

My motto: if it has to be meticulously dosed/measured and if it can't be mixed with a variety of other substances, then STAY AWAY.

I'm the first to admit that all bodies behave differently. I have a hyperactive stomach and a buttload of allergies, for instance. I ain't foolin' with no "foreign additives" or "unpredictable side-effects." No way, no how.


And because that last one was a bit of a downer (pun intended), I'm also afraid of...


11. NO CAFFEINE!
If I weren't already married (to a bomb-of-a-babe, no less), you'd have free reign to taunt me with, "If you love it so much, then why don't you marry it?" Seriously, me + caffeine = heaven. A very functional, alert, and happy, happy heaven :)

Toasting Erin Y...

If you've got some free time this weekend, please pray for my family and I (shout out, Yartzs!) as we attempt to run far (too far) :-/

Fear Bird: PART 1



http://community.livejournal.com/randompictures/10458933.html?#cutid1



What do you think of that title, eh?

"Fear Bird" instead of "Free Bird."

Pretty witty, no?

...

Yeah, I know--cheese-ville

:-/

I'll just get to the point then.

Things I Fear:

1. FRIGGIN' SPIDERS.
I take issue with their general appearance (all those spindly legs are yucko), but mostly, I have a problem with how creepily quick they are. How dare they scuttle away from the Kleenex I'm trying to smush them with! Last but not least, I can blame the character Arachne in the Broadway musical "Spiderman" for putting the icing on the cake...


http://adamthinks.com/tag/spiderman-on-broadway/

That picture gives me the heebie-jeebies. If you weren't afraid of spiders before...Yikes. I better post some other pictures just to get that image out of our heads...

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-photograph-pets

http://narc0tic.tumblr.com/

http://toeiie.tumblr.com/page/3

Ah, better :)

2. Getting stuck in the routine and monotony of everyday life.
As much as I dislike the phrase "C'est la vie," it is the motto to crack the daily drab. While there's plenty to be said for keeping one's house clean and picking up the dry-cleaning and going grocery shopping, in my opinion, there's more to be said for breaking routine and going out to dinner instead! Or renting a movie! Or sitting on the porch and drinking a homemade cocktail! Life ain't all about dotting the i's and crossing the t's...it's about feeling vibrant and buoyant! A little bit of spur-of-the-moment does a body (and soul!) good.

3. Running out of snacks.
For reals, people. No snacks + Erin = !*%#

4. My friends and family not knowing how much I love them.
While I'm one of those people who tries to say "I love you" at the end of every conversation, making that love known involves more than words. Waiting on them hand and foot, sending "You can do it!" text messages, randomly hugging or kissing them, bringing them a treat, planning events around their interests...I want to make it known that I think about them. A LOT. And that they're well within my life's orbit--they're my multiple suns, in fact. I don't ever want them to second-guess my feelings for them or feel out of touch.

5. Struggling to get off tight clothes and/or jewelry.
One word: CLAUSTROPHOBIA. No, make that two words: LAMAZE BREATHING. Good God if I don't start hyperventilating when that damned shelf-bra tanktop won't come off. Or when that thick-banded, heavy ring starts turning my finger purple. Just thinking about it is making my chest tighten! Get. It. Off. NOW!

*Though I'm sure there are folks out there thinking, "Don't be afraid; it's all in your head," I gotta say that I feel good about acknowledging my fears. Knowing what they are keeps me from taking the easy path and avoiding them. Knowing my fears keeps me from holding back instead of living. Admitting my (many) Achilles' heels keeps me from narrowing my world.

Speaking of Achilles' heels...

6. A world without dogs!
Can you even believe the cute factor of those puppies above? How about this one's cute factor?

It's Bishop's birthday today!

This 1-year-old is gonna get spoiled

with strawberries and watermelon!

TO BE CONTINUED...