30 Day Challenge - Day 10

I'm doing a 30 day challenge where I do a blog post each day for 30 days based on this 30 Day Challenge List. Feel free to do the same and send me a link to your challenge.


10. Put your music player on shuffle and write the first ten songs that play

Music inspires every aspect of my life. I just got back from the gym and was listening to the Jack Johnson Station on Pandora, now I'm listening to a mix of a little bit of everything. I feel super energized and ready to start the day. I have many exciting blog posts brewing so stay tuned, I'm back from my mini blog vacation. I'm declaring this week my new inspiration week. What has inspired you so far this week? What do you plan to do with that inspiration? 

30 Day Challenge - Day 9

I'm doing a 30 day challenge where I do a blog post each day for 30 days based on this 30 Day Challenge List. Feel free to do the same and send me a link to your challenge.

9. How important you think education is


Matt Stevenson and I in front of our alma mater 10 years after we first met here

I started my education in pre-school at age 4, then grade school, high school, and art college. After college I continued taking classes but only classes I really wanted to take. I've taken multiple computer program classes, typography at CCA. I'm taking a Designing for Mobile class this week. I have a list of other classes I want to take and when I have time I check them off the list.

I want to take French classes and go to Paris. I want to take cooking classes, and hoop dancing class.

I think it's very important to keep learning no matter what stage of life you are in. I love learning new things and surrounding my self with other people who know more then me about things I'm interested in. Learning keeps you young and can actually help fight Alzheimer's Disease.

In a study presented at the American Academy of Neurology, researchers found that people who kept active physically or mentally through hobbies such as gardening, exercise, reading, painting, or playing board games were less likely to develop AD later in life than those who engaged in "passive" activities, like watching television.

30 Day Challenge - Day 8

I'm doing a 30 day challenge where I do a blog post each day for 30 days based on this 30 Day Challenge List. Feel free to do the same and send me a link to your challenge.


8. What you ate today

This is everything I ate today. I'm on a gluten free diet becasue I have celiac disease. All of this food is gluten free. gluten free bread, gluten free cereal. It's a challenge to eat gluten free but I've been doing it for about two years. This is why I bake gluten free goodies and write about it on my blog. I'm getting better at gluten free cooking but it was tough at first and I've made a lot of mistakes that have resulted in me getting really sick. It's pretty surprising how many different foods have wheat, barley and or rye in them. A few surprising items I have found to contain gluten are: soy sauce, fish sauce, soup base, bullion, rice crispies, cold cuts, malt balls, and malt liquor (what's the word? Thunderbird). 

30 Day Challenge - Day 7

I'm doing a 30 day challenge where I do a blog post each day for 30 days based on this 30 Day Challenge List. Feel free to do the same and send me a link to your challenge.


7. Five pet peeves

1. Messes, clutter, not replacing toilet paper on the little holder, people that don't do their dishes {punch in face}


2. When people use Papyrus and/or Comic Sans on every 5th print piece I see {fail}


3. When people show up to my Zumba class late and then stand right in the front and crowd me. To top it off they don't even know the steps even though they attend this class twice a week. 


4. When non-designers try to tell me how to do my job {make it bigger and spray pain it gold!} How about, not so much. 


5. People that dress their dogs up in clothes


Ha, this list is ridiculous. I like to think of my self as a tolerant person, but I think we all have things that rub us the wrong way. Any readers have weird pet peeves they want to share? Feel free to leave a comment. 

30 Day Challenge - Day 6

I'm doing a 30 day challenge where I do a blog post each day for 30 days based on this 30 Day Challenge List. Feel free to do the same and send me a link to your challenge.


6. Your view on mainstream music


I like all types of music mainstream or not. {insert annoying hipster list of bands no one has ever heard of, then act shocked that the other person has never heard of them} I actually like a lot of electronic music that is definitely not mainstream. At the same time, I'll rock me some top 40's no problem. My opinion is, music is just like art: it doesn't have to be the best to be fun and enjoyable to listen to/ look at. Here are a few of my current favorite mainstream songs:

Perry - If I die Young

P!nk - Glitter in the Air

30 Day Challenge - Day 5

I'm doing a 30 day challenge where I do a blog post each day for 30 days based on this 30 Day Challenge List. Feel free to do the same and send me a link to your challenge.


5. Things you want to say to an ex

Wow this is a hard post, and although I think I could have had a lot more colorful things to say to some of my exes all of my relationships have ended for a reason. Even if things ended in heart break or worse, I'm the type of person who forgives and forgets. It's not worth holding a grudge for 8 years because your college boyfriend cheated on you.


I have had some amazing relationships and amazing experiences because of these relationships. None of them have been the right fit or I wouldn't be single right now, but some day things will click. 

30 Day Challenge - Day 4

I'm doing a 30 day challenge where I do a blog post each day for 30 days based on this 30 Day Challenge List. Feel free to do the same and send me a link to your challenge.


4. Bullet your whole day


• Got up at 7:00 am with the help of my alarm
• Posted to my blog, facebooked and tweeted that post
• Showered
• Turned on Pandora to the Sara Bareilles station
• Did my hair

• Made tea with sugar and half & half

• Did my makeup

• Walked to the Caltrain at 8:15

• Realized I was looking at the wrong schedule
• Waited at the Caltrain for 20 min
• Got off the Caltrain and walked to work, forgot to tag off 
• Did some research on the computer about iPad app design
• Hung up my mood board with a really loud staple gun and my shoe

• Went to Wallgreens to pick up my prescription 

• Walked to Ozone to meet my friend Julian for lunch
• Realized that he said Osha and hopped in a cab to meet him
• Ordered lamb and chicken skewers for an app and pad see ew for lunch
• Julian and I talked about a tons of BFF stuff including his movie Electronic Awakening
• Walked back to work
• Got a text from Sarah and she wanted to do dinner, I said cool.
• Downloaded Balsamiq and Xcode, and worked on some iPad app wireframes
• Made a list of all of the stuff I need to get from my studio
• Went home via the Caltrain, did not forget to tag off

• Went home and took some pictures of a book for a blog post 
• Got another text from Sarah telling me dinner was off because everyone was canceling
• Decided to get my nails done

• Went to the salon 

• Came home and ate leftovers, yum

• Watched Restaurant Impossible and worked on my blog

• Brushed my teeth and washed my face 
• Bed time

30 Day Challenge - Day 3

I'm doing a 30 day challenge where I do a blog post each day for 30 days based on this 30 Day Challenge List. Feel free to do the same and send me a link to your challenge.


3. A book you love

I LOVE The stranger by Chris Van Allsburg. It has been my favorite book as long as I can remember. This book has fantastic illustrations and is about a stranger (Jack Frost). He shows up and has amnesia and when he finally remembers who he is the leaves change color. 

Chris Van Allsburg has been my favorite Illustrator for 23 years. I discovered his books when I was in Kindergarden. I remember every week when we had library I would ask the librarian if she had gotten any new Chris Van Allsburg books. Sometimes she would say "yes," and it would make my day. 


I've had the pleasure to meet Chris twice. Once was in 2003 at the Curious George shop in Cambridge, MA. The second time was in 2005 in Boston, MA and I actually got to see him give a slide talk about his sculpture work. It is amazing when you get to meet your idol in person. Feel free to leave a comment about your favorite book. I'm always looking for new things to read. I am currently reading Decorate by Holly Becker and Heart of the Matter by Emily Griffin. 

30 Day Challenge - Day 2

I'm doing a 30 day challenge where I do a blog post each day for 30 days based on this 30 Day Challenge List. Feel free to do the same and send me a link to your challenge.


2. Something you feel strongly about


I feel that we we are all put on this earth to create. Being creative is very important to me and it's a skill we all possess when we are born. Some chose to embrace our creativeness and some choose to ignore it. So, I say if you are ignoring your creativeness, don't. The world would probably be better off if you take action and put your creative energy to work. So Get going. 


The pictures below are a mood board I created for the design of an iPad App I'm working on. 
Feel free to leave a comment about how you have been creative this week. Cheers. 

30 Day Challenge - Day 1

I'm doing a 30 day challenge where I do a blog post each day for 30 days based on this 30 Day Challenge List. Feel free to do the same and send me a link to your challenge.


1. Five ways to win your heart

This is a funny post, and something I have had a lot of time to think about in my single life. Although I don't think there is a magic recipe to "win my heart," and chemistry has a lot to do with falling in love, there are a few things that I admire in potential suitors LOL. 


Be the best you. I am always striving to learn more and do more and be the best me I can be. I would like to be with someone who is on a path that betters them. Turn on. 


Be romantic. I'm a total sucker for romance and it comes in many forms. There's the cheesy flowers and stuff (which is nice), but the best type of romance is when the other person does little things that lets you know they are thinking about you. Swoon.


Make my Life easier. I am busy all the time, and I work a lot. I haven't been in a relationship in a long time where I felt that the other person made my life easier in any way (actually just the opposite). It would be so amazing if a guy did anything to make my life less work, or less stress. Amazeballz. 


Be a cuddler. I'm a toucher. I haven't read the book, but I'm pretty sure my love language is touch. I love to cuddle, hug, kiss, and give and get back rubs. Back rubs are a sure way to my heart. Not to mention it sucks to hug yourself, it just looks silly. 


Be passionate. I LOVE what I do, and I want to be with someone who loves what they do. It makes for better dinner conversation. TRUST ME. 

30 Day Challenge

I've seen this 30 day challenge on many other people's blogs and I've decided to jump on the band wagon. Feel free to do the same and send me a link to your challenge. I'm going to do theses at whatever pace they come, I'm not trying to finish them in 30 days, but if I do good for me. Photo by Matt Stevenson.

1. Five ways to win your heart
2. Something you feel strongly about
3. A book you love
4. Bullet your whole day
5. Things you want to say to an ex
6. Your view on mainstream music
7. Five pet peeves
8. What you ate today
9. How important you think education is
10. Put your music player on shuffle and write the first ten songs that play
11. Your Family
12. Five guys/girls you find attractive
13. Your opinion about your body and how comfortable you are with it
14. What you wore today
15. Your zodiac/horoscope and if you think it fits your personality
16. Something you always think "what if. . ." about
17. Something that you are proud of
18. A problem you have had
19. Five items you lust after
20. Your fears
21. How you hope your future will be like
22. Your Academics
23. Something that you miss
24. Five words/phrases that make you laugh
25. Something you are currently worrying about
26. Things that you like/dislike about yourself
27. A quote you try to live by
28. Somewhere you would like to move or visit
29. Five weird things that you like
30. One thing you are excited for