The Bright Side

"ben does life" tour coming here!

 

Have you ever heard of the Ben Does Life blog?  It's great!  You should check it out.  

Ben is this great guy, who has a very inspiring story and he is in turn, inspiring many others to get out there and "do life."  He made a video of his journey and a 1,000,000+ views later he is appearing on national TV, doing radio interviews, appearing in magazine articles all while he continues to inspire his thousands of fans on tumblr.  

 

 

Ben is quite a character and he and his father, Pa, and his brother, Jed, are quite entertaining as they jib and jab (and support) each other across their blogs.  

I am super excited today because Ben just announced for this summer:

Do Life: The Official Nationwide Unofficial-5K Tour 

 Thirty 5Ks, in 30 cities in 40 days!  

Here's his map:

 

And I just happen to live in one of those cities!  Yay!  And doesn't that just fit in perfectly with my goal of running a bunch of races this year?  

Yes!  

Actually, it sounds more like a happenin' kind of bloggin', kind of happy people kind of event with less emphasis on the race thing, more emphasis on the gathering thing.  Which is just fine by me!  Ben actually held a similar event in NYC last weekend and it looked really fun from the pictures and descriptions.  I can't wait for this summer!  

Now all I have to do is talk my family into going with me...

 

the dead of winter

I know, I know.  It's January and it's cold. Four below in my neck of the woods today, as a matter of fact.  It gets dark around here at 4:30 or so and yet, I have just created a new banner, featuring of all things, beach chairs. Beach chairs, on a beach.  

I know.  It's winter.  I get it.  But dang it, that new banner makes me smile every time I look at it and I don't care if it is totally out of season. This is my little ol' blog that absolutely no one reads and if I want beach chairs in the dead of winter, then damn it, there will be beach chairs.  Any arguments? No?

Good.

 

quote of the day

 

    "That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased." 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson 

 

source

 

 

my new obsession - monarch on the glen

In need of a mini-break? A little holiday from the pressures and pace of this high-tech, high stress world? How about a little time in the peaceful, bucolic Scottish highlands? Too expensive, you say? Not to worry...

I just discovered a wonderful, highly-rated gem on Netflix.com. It is a BBC t.v. series from 2000-03. Forgive me if I am sadly out of the loop, but I had never heard of it before and now I am completely hooked. Endearing, funny characters, beautiful scenery, great stories and relationships keep me coming back to watch more and more of the episodes. 

The Netflix synposis:  "This popular BBC series, inspired by the novels of Compton Mackenzie, traces the adventures of Archie MacDonald, a London hipster-restaurateur summoned back to his Highland home, Glenbogle, to care for his sick father.  Faced with an estate riddled with mounting losses, the city boy stays on -- at least until the muddled mess can be sorted out." 

Check out the very first show in the series below:

Next 10 minutes:

Next 10 minutes:

Last 10 minutes: 

The first 5 seasons are available on Netflix.com for rental or to watch instantly. You can also purchase the series on amazon.com. 

Enjoy!!

meet me on the equinox

Source

Here's a little something for all of you closet TwiMoms out there (you know who you are), the just released, Death Cab for Cutie video, Meet Me on the Equinox. This song will be featured in the second movie of the popular Twilight series, New Moon. The movie opens on November 20th and the soundtrack is due out on October 20th.

My daughter, Chrissie, got me hooked on the books and we have really enjoyed sharing this interest. It took her forever to talk me into reading the first book. Vampires? Really? Thanks, but no thanks. But, after reading the first one, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the subsequent books. I read them in record time. For me, it is the relationships between the main characters that is the real story, not the whole vampire thing. Thanks to the Twilight series my daughter and I have had many great discussions about life, love, and loyalty that we have both enjoyed. Thanks Stephenie Meyer!

So, what do you think? Have you read the books? Are you looking forward to the movie? Wish the whole Twi-thing would just go away? Bonded with your daughter talking about it?

Be sure to check out the party over at Julia's Hooked on Fridays.

procrastinator's party

I'm so excited to tell you (deep breath) that I am joining my first procrastinator's party over at the Inspired Room.  

So, here goes, my project proclamation. (This part is a bit embarrassing.) I have chosen to organize the contents of our food cupboards. They are a MESS and in dire need of some love and attention.  As you can see, I have been putting off this project for a long time! But, now thanks to Melissa's party, I can't wait to get started.

The "before" photos (blush):

The second cupboard doesn't look so bad, but to find something usually involves taking 10 other things out to locate the desired item.  Some sort of organizational system is badly needed!

Now on to the fun part, pulling everything out and starting over.  I'll post my "after" pictures on the party deadline, October 20th.  Good luck on your party projects!!

have you been to janet hill studio?

Have you discovered Janet Hill Studio? Janet Woodward-Hill is a talented artist from Stratford, Ontario. Her blog, Janet Hill Studio is where I purchased one of her oil paintings and I love it! In case you haven't found her on your own, I just had to share. Her work is wildly popular, it seems that almost as soon as she lists it, it is gone.  So, you have to be quick!

Fairy Lights

Janet describes her work this way, "I call these paintings my oil sketches because they are quick impressions of people, interiors, table settings and other household objects."

The Cake Show

I just call them heavenly! Each one is more delightful than the last. I am captivated by the colors, the textures, the subject matter and their smaller size. You can also find Janet Hill Studio on Etsy.  Be sure to check it out as she has a wonderful selection of very affordable prints there.

Petal Shoes

Janet also paints portraits.  I'm not sure if they are real people or right out of her imagination.  Either way, they are dreamy, thought-provoking and often mysterious.  How about this beauty?  Isn't she lovely?  

The Piano Singer
And finally, this is the painting I was lucky enough to snag.  It is called The Pool House.  Doesn't it just look like the perfect spot to curl up with a good book on a sunny summer afternoon?



The Pool House
I hope you enjoyed my review of Janet Hill Studio.  Check it out, I think you might really enjoy it.  She usually posts new paintings in the early evening and remember they go fast.  If you are interested in purchasing one, I suggest bookmarking her blog and checking it periodically during the late afternoon, early evening.  That's how I got mine.  
Be sure to check out the fabulous Hooked on Fridays blog party over at Julia's Hooked on Houses. Plus, I am certain this recommendation also qualifies to participate in the Beautiful Life Friday happening over at The Inspired Room. And a great big thank you to Janet for allowing me to use your beautiful photos!!

So, what do you think?  Isn't Janet Hill Studio awesome?
Happy Friday!!