Buckets full

I read an article recently about something called the "Book Bucket Challenge."  Essentially, it challenges people to list the 10 books that have most influenced them or left the greatest impression on them.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a big reader, but I'm having a lot of trouble with this concept.  Not that anyone nominated me for the challenge, but it got me thinking anyway.  The problem may be that I read too much, and I generally find something worth taking out of everything I read.  Not necessarily on purpose, but some piece of something always sticks.

Writing it down

They say if you write down goals you have or things you want to accomplish, you are more likely to achieve them.  My current goal is to visit Scotland.

I'd like to take two weeks, rent a car (which I'd then have to drive on the other side. Ack!) And just travel the country, seeing what I saw, and taking my own time. 

So that's my goal.  It's the one thing that I really, really want to do sometime in the not distant future. I've been to Holland for one side of my heritage, and England for a portion of the other, but we're really more Scots than anything since we have a tartan and everything. 

And now it's out in the world.  Lets see how long it takes me to get there.

Deep breaths

So, it's September 1.  Labour day.

For most people, it's not really the start of anything new.  It's not a new year, unless you're a kid going back for the start of a new school year.

I'm taking the opportunity, though I'm not really starting a new year - to call New Year.  It's a fresh start.  I'm going to start eating better, begin a new exercise habit, and try to keep a neater house.  I didn't get everything accomplished yesterday that I wanted to start this way, but maybe it's part of the process to get myself to that place.  I need to re-organize a few things, and get rid of some junk food that it's the house, but I'm starting with a different mind-set and that's important.

I don't have explicit goals to put down here - I just want to improve.  I want to make myself better, which in turn might make my life better.   Control what I can in a way, since I have no control over certain other aspects of my life. If I make myself feel more in control of what I can control, I'll probably be happier.  And maybe I'll feel less like I have no direction.

Super fun and awesomeness

Meghan Trainor.

Excited to hear what the rest of her album will sound like.  Because based on this - really looking forward to it.

First taste of chocolate in Ivory Coast

As a chocoholic, of sorts, seeing the reaction of someone who's never tasted it before is pretty awesome!

We definitely take chocolate for granted.

Word Crimes

This!  People need to listen to this.  This and this and twenty times THIS!!!!

Interesting...