Following Your Dreams

I once read that we should "go confidently in the direction of our dreams and live the life we have imagined." Dreams. Don't we all have them? I think, deep down, we all have that one fantasy. That one beautiful, perfect idea that lives in the back of our mind. Today, I'd like to share with you one of mine.

My Dream:

I'd move to New York City. Brooklyn, maybe. Or Manhattan.

The scene would play out as follows. I'm at the train station. In one hand, a huge suitcase that holds my entire life. In the other, an Iced Chai Latte, of course. It would be close to winter. Not snow, but the air would be crisp and icy. I'd be wearing a sophisticated coat and high-heels. I'd step out of the train, go up the escalator and walk into the city for the first time. It would be magical.

I'd live in a really classic, "New York" apartment. Preferably, made entirely of brick.

The inside would be cozy, modest, vintage yet modern. And, of course there would be a spiral staircase. 

I would be a writer of some sort. Maybe for a magazine. Maybe for a publishing company. Or maybe a best-selling author. The city would be my inspiration. On Sunday afternoons, I would go to Central Park with my journal and write for hours.

I would meet "Mr. Right." My family would move to NYC. And then, happily ever after. 

And there you have it. One of my biggest and most cliche dreams. Yes, it may seem outrageous. I know some people think dreams only lead to disappointment. While this can be true, I like to believe that dreams are magical. And, come on, are you really going to try and tell me that we don't need a little magic in our lives? That's what I thought. ;) However, I will agree with those who say that dreams are scary. Yes yes yes. One hundred percent, dreams are terrifying. They are terrifying to me because, for the most part, we all have the power to make our dreams reality. If you think about it, we really can follow our dreams and "live the life we have imagined." All we have to do is try. And, yes, trying can be scary. But if taking a risk could lead to such amazing outcomes, is it worth it? What do you think?

That's all for now.

-M

Siblings

Someone once told me, "Well...you can't choose your siblings..." This isn't the typical, inspirational quote that I would usually choose to begin a post. However, this post is far from typical. Siblings are tough. Sometimes, I find that blood is about the only thing that siblings share. This may be a pessimistic outlook on sibling relationships. But, in my opinion, it's part of the harsh reality of family dynamics. (That made me sound way too much like a highschool psychology textbook.) This is what I have found out over the years. 

1. Just because you are siblings does not mean that you will be alike or similar in any way. 

2. Just because you are siblings does not guarantee that you will be close to each other. Again, sorry. 

3. Just because you are siblings, it does not mean that you will always like each other. 

I think you all get the picture. The three things I listed above make it very difficult to really bond or be close to your sibling. This can also make it really scary and disheartening. Now, imagine if I ended the post here. You have to admit, that would be pretty funny. Don't worry, I'm not that cruel. 

Here are three other things I've learned over the years.

1. Siblings show their love in strange, small ways. 

2. Siblings always have each other's backs. 

3. Siblings may not always like each other, but they always love each other. 

So, this is all of the information I've collected over the years. Let's just say, I still have a lot to learn. In general, this is what I know. Relationships with your siblings are tough. It takes work. And it definitely takes time. But a bond between siblings is like nothing else. It is definitely something to fight for and to never give up on. 

                   That's all, for now. 

                                  -M

How To: Explore

As the summer rolled around, I found myself on a tight time crunch. My mission: Make the most out of the few weeks I had before leaving for a special college program. One that actually begins much earlier than those of my friends, unfortunately. But, that is a whole other story. ;) Back to the point, I realized that I am leaving my home soon and I have to appreciate it every single moment. Although I will not tell you specifically where I live, for obvious reasons, I do live near San Francisco, CA. This is in fact, or I guess in my opinion, one of the most amazing, unique and beautiful places in the whole world. Up until these past few weeks, I did not even realize this. During the past few weeks I decided that one of my main goals was to explore.

John Muir once said....

Whenever I read this quote, it reminds me of the importance of exploration. It seems that many of us, more so nowadays, like to stay inside, go on our phones or watch Netflix and forget about the wonders of new places. Yes, I admit that I could spend an entire day watching "Orange is the New Black." However, I've learned that hopping in the car and driving somewhere totally new is exciting and enriching. And that is exactly what I did. Below are some photos of the places I discovered and fell in love with.

Exploring these new places gave me a new love and appreciation for the Bay area. It inspired me in ways I could not have imagined and lit up a new curiosity within me. So, this is my challenge for you. Go outside and explore. Find a new place. Be curious. Learn. To end, in the words of John Muir, go out into the world and "wash your spirit clean."

That's all for now.

-M

Thoughts on Life

Life. How do I even begin to describe this word. Life seems short, but the days seem endless. Filled with so many experiences, so many moments, so many people. Every second is valuable. We learn. We laugh. We grow. It is priceless. Sure, some days are not so good. Some days we wake up and don’t want to get out of bed. Don’t want to interact. Are afraid of facing the world. Just plain scared. Sometimes we are sad. We cry and cry and cry until it feels like all of our tears have been used up. But with these bad days also comes amazing, beautiful, happy moments. The possibilities are endless. We have so much in this world to be thankful for. Trees. Books. Music. The sun. The grass. The ocean. The rain. Hugs. Love. The list is truly endless. There is so much to do, so many new things to experience, so many risks to take and so many people to meet. People. Our relationships with other people is the most important thing in this world. Throughout our lives, we will have many different relationships with people. Some will be short. Others will be forever. I once heard that people are temporary. And that this is okay. At certain times in our lives, we have relationships that we need in that moment. They teach us something. They learn from us. They make us smile. And sometimes they leave. This is all okay. Life is like the sky. The sky is always changing. The sky is vast. It’s open and stretches so far that there seems to be no end. Enjoy life. Appreciate life. Love your life. And when you look up at the sky each day, remember that, for us, life is forever.


Inspiration: "The Stable Song" by Gregory Alan Isakov (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3X9Bz0LNnc)

       That's all, for now.

-M

 

Favorite Songs At This Moment

Hey there! This post is going to be all about music and my favorite songs at this moment! I have always loved music. For me, I don't only like certain genres of music. Instead, I usually am drawn to individual songs, no matter what type of music it falls under. Music can really act as an escape. I love how songs can make you disappear into another world.

TOP FAVORITE SEVEN SONGS

1. Cigarette Daydreams-Cage The Elephant

       

    2. Just One of the Guys-Jenny Lewis

     3. Want to Want Me-Jason Derulo

     4. I'm Good-The Mowgli's

     5. Light Years Away-Mozella

       6. Ellsworth Kansas-Rascall Flatts

     7. Dream-Priscilla Ahn

                                     

Hope you enjoyed and find the same joy and inspiration in music that I do! :)

That's all for now.

  -M

Update

Hi to anyone who may be reading this! If someone out there actually does read my posts, I am sorry for not posting recently. Truthfully, I am a bit disappointed in myself because when I started this blog, I was so inspired and motivated to write and post. Lately, along with being busy with other things, I haven't been feeling very inspired and frankly did not know what to write about. However, today I remembered that I made this blog because I like to write, even if it is just for myself to read. So, today's post doesn't necessarily have a topic. It's just me letting out my need to write. So here is a little update on my life, if anyone cares to know. :)

1. I have been unable to watch "One Tree Hill" because I have been busy and unable to cope with the major plot change from season 4 to season 5. How can television shows, which are NOT real, affect people so deeply!? I feel pathetic for being so invested in the show, but I can't help it at the same time! Any advice?

2. It started hailing a few minutes ago and I loved it. There's something about "gloomy" weather that makes me feel at peace, happy and safe. Is that weird?

3. I know I should clean my room, but I can't. Maybe I'm lazy or maybe I really am too busy. Having a clean room makes me feel so much more organized mentally.

4. I have been loving the acoustic guitar station on Pandora. Anyone else?

5. I have to choose what college I want to go to and I am SO confused, worried, excited, anxious and terrified! HELP!

That's all for now. 

-M

Infinitely Dreams Award

Hey there! So far today I haven't been in the best mood, for no good reason at all to be honest. That's why I was so happy when I came across a comment from The Life of Little Me (http://thelyfoflittleme.blogspot.com.au) who nominated for the Infinitely Dreams Award. So, thank you so much, it really brightened my day and lifted my spirits! Okay, onto the questions that go along with this lovely tag. :)

1. Why do you blog?

I could type for hours on end to answer this question. However, after thinking about the endless reasons explaining why I blog, I've decided on the following answer. I blog because I love to write and be creative. Ever since I was little, I have always loved to write stories for myself and my family. I remember whenever my grandma would come visit us, I would write as many stories as I could and then read them to her when she arrived at our house.

    2.  What are on your bedroom walls?

This answer is slightly embarrassing...I guess you could say I'm somewhat of a "hoarder." In my opinion, I like to call it being sentimental. For as long as I can remember I have loved to keep the most random things and soon I began creating huge boxes of things like shoes I've grown out of, school binders, receipts... This slight-obsession also applies to my walls. I'll list a few things: newspaper of American Idol Winners from around seven years ago, poster of Times Square in NYC, dreamcatcher, bulletin board, poster covered in movie tickets, Chinese Zodiac Calendar, pictures of me and my best friend...the list goes on and on.

    3. Type out some lyrics you love.

"Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand
And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand."

   4. Describe one of your friends in detail without naming them.

This friend has so much potential to do great things. She is extremely creative and passionate when she wants to be. Although she can be stubborn, very stubborn, she is an individual. She will always do what she believes in, which is something I admire in her a lot. Also, she understands me like no one else does. :)

  5. One photo.  Any photo, as long as it's of you or taken by you.

(Taken by me)

     6. What's the last book you read, and what are your thoughts?

The last book I read was Hamlet, which I read for my English class and finished a couple of days ago. Usually I actually enjoy the books/plays we read in class (yes I am that kid), but this year I haven't particularly enjoyed anything we have read. Well, the only thing we have read this year is Dante's Inferno, which I can confidently say I hated in every shape and form. Although it took us like three months to read Hamlet, there is something about reading Shakespeare that makes a person (or maybe just me) feel extremely accomplished and maybe just a little more intelligent in the world. I was really drawn to the complexity of the characters and liked how they felt like real, whole people for once. (Yes, I'm calling out Romeo and Juliet). 

    7.  Share a good blog post from any blog, including yours.

(http://theworldthroughmywindowsill.blogspot.com/2015/02/once.html) Here's a link to a great and inspiring blog post I read recently.

(http://howtolyfe.blogspot.com/2015/01/limitless.html) Here's a post that I am really proud of on my blog. :)

   8.  Share a story of something that happened to you recently.

I recently started working as the "Front Desk" person for a small tutoring business. It was only my third day of work and I was given the job of opening up the building for the day. I arrived around 7:50 AM and got the keys out of the lock on the door. However, when I put the key in the lock, it would not turn and seemed to be stuck. I began to freak out and wanted to cry. (Yes, I am a baby.) I didn't know what to do, but finally after ten minutes of attempting to unlock the door, I succeeded. 

(This isn't actually me, I just got it off of Google Images...am I allowed to do that?)

   9. Go on facebook and message someone you haven't talked to in at least a year, or someone you've never spoken to at all.  If you don't have facebook just text, call or go visit.  What was your conversation?  Word for word: 

Me: "Hi! How are you?"

Old Childhood Friend: "Hi, I'm good. College is fun but stressful. How are you."

Me: "How are you liking it there? I'm good! I'm loving this year, so much better than last year."

(and it continues...)

     10.  What are your thoughts on selfies?
Personally, I have mixed feelings on this subject. One one hand, I somewhat cringe at selfies because it makes me automatically judge a person and assume they are cocky or just think that my generation is self-absorbed. On the other hand, I greatly admire the guts that a person has to have in order to post a selfie. 

      11. What's your favorite movie and why do you like it?
This is such a tough question considering that I never have a favorite of anything! To be perfectly honest, I don't think I have a favorite movie. To give an answer to this question, I'll tell you guys my favorite movie I have seen recently. The answer to this is "Birdman." I found the cinematography of this movie to be so unique and fluid. Also, me being somewhat of a "theater geek" loved to see how the whole broadway-acting thing goes on off and on the stage. Overall, it was amazing!

p.s. sorry for the lack of posts in the past month. To be honest, I simply did not feel inspired to blog and did not want to put anything on my blog that I was not proud of. Anyways, thanks for reading. :)

p.s.s. I don't know why some of the words are highlighted white...haha

That's all for now.

-M