The question

It happens often, falling behind. We are busy, lazy, tired....and possibly even forgetful. BUT others might be counting on us and that puts stress within items on our to-do lists. It can even just be us, counting on ourselves. What then? We wonder why we are behind, we question why we aren't good enough and how it seems that others can handle it all just fine.
Sure, there are methods and techniques that help keep us on track, but for me knowing all that I have to do isn't the problem. I know EVERYTHING I must do and it bugs the crap out of me. This is common for college students, we have a to-do list a mile long and it lays right on top of our list for daily living and then even our list of stuff we just want to do for ourselves, for fun. For me, it's doing it that is the problem.
Why am I not taking care of my list as I should? Well that answer could vary widely and more often the answer is simply "I'm just not." Which turns out to be more complicated than it sounds.
Motivation seems to be what we blame it all on. That may be true, but what I want to know is why aren't we motivated? What "motivates" us to do something we don't want to do? It all sounds kind of funny to me, like a web of issues that all lead back to each other. Where there isn't just one thing to blame, but a problem along the way of each individual item in the web. Maybe there is something completely different that is affecting the web as a whole.
If you're still reading this to find the answer, you won't find it. Answers like these are found within the self. Not within others, though others may help guide you to your own answer, you've got to do the work. What I'm here to share is what keeps me going in these times, which seems to happen more often than it should. If you want to call it "motivation" be my guest.

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am 'I'?"

-and-

"If not now, when?"

-Hillel

Most of you are more familiar with this in the following: 

"If not you, who? If not now, when?"

I apply this to everything, things simple in life and things more complex. I hope this was helpful to you and that you may apply this to your life in some way. 

A little rock climbing adventure

Every now and then the "workout" planned for the day doesn't involve a gym. For Friday it involved this place right here:

We went through that rocky dip there and I loved it!

The rocks were pretty neat looking and there were several what I called "houses" haha rocks with a cave-like structure. Nelson and I went through one 

and in another I took a picture through the "window" of Daniel! 

Later we found this bad boy: 

and decided to climb to the top. We all knew getting up would be easy enough, but getting down would be a bit more difficult. In the end, it really wasn't that bad => We had a bit of a picnic on top and I LOVED it! Picnics are my absolute FAV!

New Hair Cut!!

Yup, I've been talking about it for weeks and finally a friend and I scheduled an appointment and did it!

Here I am before the cut in case you weren't familiar with what I look like:

Now I present you the hair cut!

OH and I was only planning on the cut, but when I went to pay it was like half off because little did I know it was "customer appreciation day" WOoHOo!! Makes you want to do more, huh?? well, since I was going to be there a while anyway because my friend was dying back to her natural, I figured what the hell....

here is the "color" I added..it's subtle. The color, as I like to call it, is "cherry coke" and I only got some here and there..love the result. I had no idea what I sounded like when trying to tell this lady what I wanted, but she read my mind, LOVED HER! 

SMASH

You might or might not have heard of the SMASH journals from K&Company. Well they are truly fun, awesome and inspiring! I had mine for almost two days and just couldn't think of where to start, but I was so excited about it. Then while looking for my "button" photo for February photo-a-day, I came up with a super fun idea that is definitely "ME". After all, this is a "journal" right?? Sure some of you out there with these smash books are giving them themes and purposes. BUT for me I just want to keep with the journal theme haha I want no pressure and all the fun! I have themes up the wazoo planned for my scrapbooks and I have so much fun with that. THESE will be used for just bits & pieces of my life as it happens

a journal

Well, I have a million awesome ideas and I can't wait to get started and then show the world!! Unfortunately, life is like you know happening and I need to tend to that...plus school....ehh. I will smash tomorrow! (that sounds like it's a drug.....oops).

OH and if you're following my photo adventures like the FEB photo a day on my photography blog then I'll have you know I totally took my "button" photo, but I won't be posting until the morning....so UNTIL THEN!!

Source: Uploaded by user via Glady on Pinterest

just 'cause

Today was busy, but laid back..make any sense? haha

First class @8am then studied, dropped Daniel off @Gold's then took an exam (first of the semester!), picked up some goodies from Michael's then Daniel was finished at the gym. Went to the mall and walked around, where Daniel decided I should get some fun smelly good stuff from Bath & Body works (!!!) After my nose couldn't smell a skunk from a rose we went across the street to get some yummy in our tummy, which equals Benja's!

I, of course, have some photos of the food and such at the table haha

It was pretty awesome, if you want to see what I did with some of the Michael's stuff check this post!

Magnetic Frame

Decided I lose bobby pins way too much SO I thought I'd try this magnetic frame out to see if I could easily find one when needed. 

This project doesn't take a whole lot

Obviously you take out the frame's GUTS! 

I couldn't resist playing with the frame a bit....

Here I'm tracing the cardboard from the frame on to the magnetic sheet (Michael's) 

Then cut

Peel off the adhesive

Apply to cardboard

Put it back in and you win! BUT I didn't want to stop there, so I found a pretty patterned paper and traced/cut it and added it on top (no need to 'stick' it on, just lay it on top)

BUT I want more, who doesn't? haha SO I added a ribbon around the upper thirds part of the board

I fastened it with one of those pins that spread open (I honestly don't know what they're called, please tell me! haha)

Ta~Da!! So pretty, right?

Here it is on Pinterest:

Source: flickr.com via Glady on Pinterest

I Love You Always Forever

It's common that couples share a special song together, but I also think it's fun to have not just a shared song, but a song from me to him. For me that song is "I Love You Always Forever" by Donna Lewis. 

This song is absolutely perfect as something from me to him. 

One of my favorite verses aside from the main chorus is:

"You've got 

the most unbelievable blue eyes I've ever seen

You've got 

me almost melting away"

For those that aren't aware, Daniel has amazing blue eyes....covered by glasses. The term "melting" is absolutely perfect, I can't even describe my feelings for him, but melting is pretty darn close.  

Then, of course, is the best chorus ever:

"I love you always forever

near or far, closer together

Everywhere I will be with you

Everything I will do for you"

That right there is truly the best collection of words..ever. I'm just glad I found this song again. It has been in the back of my head for such a long time and for the life of me I couldn't remember any of it to help me find it.

I also believe it's quite fitting to post this on the first of February. Yay for LOVE month (plus my birthday).

This version below came out as a bonus track in 2008, but the original I believe came out in  1996..enjoy.

 The embedding has been disabled by the user....so here's the link: http://youtu.be/SqdWTeXWvOg