We have all heard the saying “do what you love and you will never work a day in your life” but does anyone stop and think how true that really is? If everyone really loved their jobs just think of how much less stress, and problems from stress the world would have.

In America most working adults actually spend more time at work then they do not working, so why in the world would anyone want to be in a career that they didn’t absolutely love? I realize that there are those who hold jobs out of necessity because they really need the money or because it is a “placeholder” until they can finish their education or gain experience. (Believe me I have been there, and done that, and Lord knows I have so much respect for all of you!)

The ones I am talking to are those that are simply content to be unhappy and complacent in their profession because whether they know it or not, fear is holding them back. Those that choose to roll out of bed day after day, week after week, and eventually, year after year, dreading the challenges and frustrations that inevitably will come with the daily grind. Why? Who says that just because you have a certain degree and have any given amount of experience in a certain field that you are now somehow branded, and on a run-away train that is slowly eating away the precious number days you have left to live this life, leaving you nothing to show except maybe a nicer pile of bricks and/or a nicer set of wheels, or for my fellow fashionistas, a closet full of the nicest threads which you will probably someday wonder why you ever wore. Have you ever stopped to wonder where those wheels are driving you? Where would you like them to drive you? What would you do if you could have it all to do again?

For many of us, hindsight is 20-20. We hold degrees in something that interested us when we were 18 and fresh out of high school, but somehow now that we are adults, realizing what that chosen profession is really all about, all the rainbows and fairy tales are gone, and we are left with the cold, hard realty and it doesn’t translate well to who we are now, and it definitely does not fit our unique skill set, or stimulate our creative mind. Well my friend, it’s time to ask yourself one question, what is my next step going to be? The new and exciting or the mundane? Monotonous, frustration or exhilaration? Life with purpose or death with regret? It’s up to you, even if you think you are too busy, don’t have the money, or any number of other excuses you may choose to shout at the screen, or quietly in your head. Just remember, all they are is excuses that are allowing you to waste yet another day unhappy. Take a challenge from a stranger, take a risk, step out on a limb. It just may be the one step you need to start your journey toward happiness and a life without regrets.

Well folks welcome to my first post of 2011 and just one part of my stop talking start doing “life decision.” I am labeling it a life decision because frankly, I am sick and tired of making new years resolutions that don’t ever seem to make it must past the new year. So, regardless of the date on the calendar I have decided that I am going to not only make a “bucket list” but start crossing things off of it starting, well, going on two weeks ago.

Throughout my life I have always been one to do for others and make sure they are well taken care of before I get to whatever may be on my to do list at any given time. Although that is sometimes a great trait to have, and it leaves me with a great group of friends, it also, more often than not, leaves me scrambling to find time for the things I really need or just want to do. So I have made the conscious decision to start setting realistic goals. Only one at a time so as not to overwhelm my already crazy schedule, and start taking steps every day toward that goal until it is reached. Well, as you may have guessed by the title of this post, my first goal requires a lot of steps every day both figuratively and literally. It is to run a half marathon on March 6, 2011. For those of you who may not be familiar a half marathon = 13.1 miles! For a person who just two weeks ago struggled to run 1 mile that is quite a tall order! I am currently at 3 miles and counting. The only problem is most of the time I don’t have a good running trail as I live in the big city of Houston so I train on a treadmill. The question is, Can you train for a half marathon on a treadmill? I guess I will find out! Wish me luck and please feel free to post advice or any interesting “life decisions” you have made and stuck to for inspiration.

In the Houston Texas area and want to have a great meal on a budget? Here are some of the best places I have found to do so!

The Place:

Brio – City Centre
12808 Queensbury Lane
Suite 100
Houston, TX 77024

The Deal:
When you sit in the bar and buy one regular priced bar drink you get $2.95 appetizers! Monday – Friday, 3pm – 7pm & 9pm – Close

Why it’s so great:
These “appetizers” are gourmet quality and can certainly be turned into a feast! Take several friends (as I did) and have each person order their favorite selection and vuala, you have a meal fit for kings and queens! All for about $10 per person! You can’t get a decent fast food meal for that! (Might I recommend the Brio Burger and the Sliced Steak Bruschetta, to DIE for!!) Not to mention that the restaurant itself is gorgeous and has great ambiance!

The Place:

RA Sushi – City Centre
12860 Queensbury Ln
Houston, TX 77024-4093

The Deal:
1/2 off sushi & appetizers and drink specials ranging from $2 sake to $6 22 oz. Kirin with sake and all wells, beers and even martinis in-between! Monday – Saturday, 3pm – 7pm.

Why it’s so great:
RA is on the second floor and overlooks the entire city centre which makes for a great view away from the crowds in the courtyard when there are live concerts! The restaurant is modern and hip and is great for the young and the young at heart! Don’t care for sushi? There is something on the menu for everyone! May I recommend the Chicken Yakitori and the Spicy Sesame Chicken Wings and for those who are slightly more brave, definitely try the Viva Los Vagas Roll!

The Place:

Matsu Sushi
1531 Eldridge Pkwy.
Houston, TX 77077

The Deal:
30% off your entire bill during happy hour, drinks included! Monday – Thursday, 5pm – 7pm

Why it’s so great:
The rolls are awesome! The fish is always fresh and you don’t have to dress up! The restaurant is small and very laid back so if you want sushi and don’t want the loud music and fancy decor of RA this is the place to be! Might I recommend the crunchy roll or one of the bento boxes! Great stuff!

The Place:

Double Dave’s
Multiple Locations

The Deal:
$0.50 pizza rolls! Need I say more? The hours and days that this happens are not posted online and it has been a while since I have had them so I regret that I can’t share the hours but it is definitely worth it to find out!

Why it is so great:
Really cheap pizza! Need I say more????

Ready for desert?

The Place:

Yogurt Yo!
1809 Eldridge Pkwy
Houston, TX 77077

The Deal:
Frozen yogurt by the .oz all the time!

Why it’s so great:
This place is a little slice of my own personal heaven! There are about 10 different flavors of self serve frozen yogurt and about 40-50 different self serve toppings ranging from fruit to baked goods to cereal! Who knew Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries could be so great on frozen yogurt! I know it sounds gross but just trust me! The best part? There is a long list of the health benefits of frozen yogurt posted on the wall! So this indulgence is actually good for you!

I am currently reading the now infamous Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love after watching the movie which inspired and moved me. (Mostly just fueling my desire to sink my feet into italian soil at some point in the, hopefully, very near future.) Although it is a wonderful movie and, so far, a great book I can not say that I completely condone all of the ideals, but last night I found myself smack in the middle of the India “section” of the book, if you will, (Elizabeth does not have chapters because of the unique and very thoughtful layout of this book that may or may not be the subject of another post.) where Elizabeth gives a very familiar and clever description of her inability to meditate because she tends to have arguments with her inner self making it almost entirely impossible to completely quiet her mind. (By the way Elizabeth, I don’t know too many western born woman that can successfully accomplish a totally quiet mind, even when they are sleeping. I know at any given time, the very least of things running through my mind is a grocery list.)

She goes on to say that since her tenth birthday, she has been at odds with time. Her transition into double digits sent her into a panic that has since plagued her every day of her life. At this tender age, she realized just how precious life was and how fast it was passing her by. It seemed that just yesterday she was celebrating her fifth birthday and now she was breaking double digits. From that day forward, she developed an obsession with time and how she spent it. She more or less adopted a Carpe Diem philosophy, obsessively filling every moment of every day with “important activities” living life to its “fullest” and planning for the future, never realizing that she was slowly beginning to loose site of the present and never truly allowing herself to enjoy the moment and the pleasure that comes with being idol and stationary, even if just for a moment. This time obsession lead her to become somewhat of a control freak and she didn’t even realize it until her new acquaintance from Texas was bold enough to point it out. (Leave it to a Texan to have the gumption to tell it like he sees it right?) Her ex-husband had pointed it out numerous times, but of course, she always saw it as nothing more than an insult.

This epiphany of hers stopped me in my tracks. Thanks to Ms. Gilbert’s brave admission, I had a personal breakthrough and I thought I would share it because I feel that, just maybe, I am not alone. I too have an obsession with time…. and I too can be a bit of a control freak when it comes to the passage of time. There….I said it. (Too bad there is not a 10 step group for that one! Even if there was, I don’t think I would have time to go!) If I had it my way, I would not sleep because I would be missing something and I have been known to live by the philosophy “I can sleep when I’m dead.” Which is very ironic of me to point out because those of you who know me know that, up until recently, I like to sleep in a little more than most. To all of you I say, I am a night person….and if I had it my way, there would never be a reason to crawl out of bed before 9 am and the whole world would stop for those hours of sleep just so I didn’t miss anything! And I digress. My point is that there seem to be two kinds of people in this crazy, time obsessed culture; the ones that live for today and the ones that live for tomorrow.

The lucky souls that live for today can find bliss in any moment not worrying about what is to come and how it might change them and if they are ready for it and what they need to pack and who it might affect and …. well… obviously I am not that type of person! And then there are those of us poor, over calculated souls that the “live in the moments” tend to pay to organize them and take care of the things that happen because they didn’t plan ahead. We have a plan for everything and a very busy social calendar and hobbies? Well they are what we do in the 10 minutes between the “living life to its fullest” activities that consume our day. We are the dreamers and the doers, the travelers and adventurers, the ones you know you can count on when you call us at the last-minute to come to the event that you would just die if we missed, but forgot to tell us about. But unfortunately, we are also the exhausted, and time is our nemesis. Maybe, just maybe, we should take a moment to breathe, stretch and just sit and be quiet, totally quiet, without a thought or a care or a list. Breath and hear our breath over the chattering of our minds and if at all possible stop the chattering and just be in the moment….

Introducing The Nautical Nots!

My best friend and her husband started a two piece band. Original music and good old-fashioned raw talent! If you like them help me get the word out and re-post the you tube link!

CHANEL  - We all know it as a brand. The finest fragrances, woman’s clothing, purses, scarves etc. If you were to ask any one of the “fashionistas” that don this famous brand about the history behind its namesake would they know? Would they even care about the blood, sweat and ambition, the heartbreak and countless sleepless nights it cost to put that couture scarf around their neck? Or has CHANEL just become another one of the mega-brands getting lost in the shuffle and merely desired because it is a symbol of wealth and power in a world that thrives on just that?

I must admit that ever since the day I got my first nose full of CHANEL No. 5 I was hooked and it has become my signature scent, if only for very special occasions. But as with all things I am fond of, I wanted to know the history behind it. If for nothing more than to know why one of the most timeless, famous fragrances had simply been named No. 5. Was it a happy accident or was there some intriguing story behind it? Most of my creations have a story behind them, they are a part of me and my story, and I firmly believe that every moment in my life, every person I have met and every sacrifice all somehow get poured into my work because all of those things are what lead me to that moment, that idea and that creation. So why would it not be the same for “Co Co” Chanel or any other person behind a mega-brand?

So, you ask who is “Co Co” Chanel? (According to the Lifetime biopic and Wikipedia) Her real name is Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, born in 1883 in Saumur France. Her mother died when she was 12 and her father abandoned the family soon after, leaving Gabrielle to a Roman Catholic orphanage where she learned her trade as a seamstress. At the age of 18 she left the orphanage and supported herself as a seamstress working 13 hour shifts. (She also pursued and unsuccessful career as a singer where she earned her now famous nickname ‘Co Co’.) She was soon “rescued” from her working class life by Etienne Balsan, a young textile heir. (according to the movie) It was a whirlwind romance during which she took up a hobby of designing hats but the romance ended abruptly when she realized that Etienne had no intention to marry her. (again, according to the movie) So she took over his apartment in Paris and started making hats without much success until she met and began an affair with Captain Arthur Edward ‘Boy’ Capel. He was admittedly the love of her life and his tragic death due to a car accident proved to be “the single most devastating event” in her life. Prior to his death, ‘Boy’ financed her first shops. And the rest, as they say, is history!

‘Co Co’ went on to revolutionize women’s fashion with her simplistic style based on functionality, simplicity and understated elegance. Chanel is credited with the ‘invention’ of the little black dress’. As for the “No. 5″ name:

(Wikipedia)

When Ernest Beaux (the scent’s creator) asked her how she would name the perfume, she replied: “I always launch my collection on the 5th day of the 5th month, so the number 5 seems to bring me luck – therefore, I will name it Nº 5” Her intention in launching the scent was to give women a perfume with the scent of a woman rather than the scent of a flower bouquet. “I want to give women an artificial perfume,” said Chanel. “Yes, I really do mean artificial, like a dress, something that has been made. I don’t want any rose or lily of the valley, I want a perfume that is a composition.”

So, the next time you see those famous Cs you may just appreciate them and the woman behind them just a little bit more!

A friend of mine posted this on facebook and I just love it! There are not a lot of people out there that can get a message across that truly means something in a witty, non controversial way with the bonus of humor! Well done! It’s only one minute long and trust me, it’s one minute of your life well spent!

Several of my friends have gone through some pretty tough breakups lately and they all seem to be struggling with the same dilemma. It seems that there is a whole other dimension to relationships now, it’s called the internet. In today’s high-tech, fast paced world, people are becoming more and more dependent on social networking sites to keep in touch because, let’s face it, it will never be as much about what you know as it is about who you know. But who has time to keep up with everyone they know every day? It is so much easier to update your status on one site and inform everyone all at once that you will be at the hottest concert in town tonight, or simply, that this pizza your eating is amazing! But when it comes to relationships this fourth dimension (if you will) seems to complicate things even more. As if dating and relationships weren’t hard enough, now you have to worry about when to change your status from “single” to “in a relationship” or “engaged” to “married” or “married” to “divorced” or the safe bet “it’s complicated”. Well yes, I think this just about sums it up, it is complicated! It seems that, as far as your friends are concerned, your social network status now defines your relationship above all else because that is what the masses see. You can be single in real life but if your facebook still reads “in a relationship” then some part of you is still in that relationship and you are not allowed to move on unless your status is changed, right? Even if you just forget, trust me, your friends do not! So this brings about the question, when is it okay to change your status? How long do you have to date before you make it official by checking that all important box on your profile? If you are married on Saturday and you don’t change your status until monday are you any less married on Sunday?

As if the status updates were not enough, there is also the daunting question of pictures. Leave them up or take them down? EIther way, what does it mean? Ultimately, erasing pictures from a website does not erase the memories and the impact that the person may have had on your life and how they may have helped to shape who you are today. All it does is erase them from the minds of the next visitor to your profile. So, the questions remains, leave them posted as a constant reminder to all, or take them down and be left with the images in your own memory?

Last but certainly not least, to friend or not to friend? Not so long ago friendships were defined by who was invited to your birthday parties and that list was usually limited to people in your social network that you had actually met and knew at least a little something about. But now it is entirely possible to be “friends” with someone on the other side of the globe that may or may not even speak the same language and, guess what, you can still invite them to your birthday party with just one click! This too seems to be interfering with our “real life” relationships. Don’t believe me? Then you must be among the lucky few who has not had to agonize with your cursor scrolling back and forth between confirm and ignore to  your boss or your distant cousin’s friend request only to get confronted the next day as to why you didn’t add them yet or why they can’t see your photos. If you are included in this shrinking group of social networking savvy congratulations are in order, but never to fear, your time will come!

I bet the inventor of facebook never realized he would rival Shakespeare’s “to be or not to be” with “to friend or not to friend” and unfortunately “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” never covered the appropriate time to change the relationship status so it just might be the next big question for yahoo Q & A…

They say if you are not sure you are ready to have children, you should adopt a dog. I think more and more ladies are taking that literal and then deciding that the dog is the better choice. (“at least for now”) In a time when the average age for women to marry is creeping dangerously  close to 26  years young, even married women (myself included)  seem to be leaning more and more toward canine companionship in lue of the more demanding and life altering alternative. There are many different theories as to why this is, and that is a whole other post, but what fascinates me is just how far some woman go to make the substitution. Even in a down economy, there are still millions of dollars being shelled out every day to ensure that our furry friends are as well fed and, in some cases, well dressed as we are. We are all too familiar with the images of Miss Hilton with her Chihuahua Tinker-bell but this trend is not just for celebrities anymore.

Just in case you were wondering what "Miss Anna" looks like

Just the other day,  I took my pup to get her nails clipped and the groomer asked which “pedi-paw” service little Anna would like and then stared at her as if she were waiting for her to point and say “the deluxe please, and I prefer french.”  I must have looked confused, because she went on to explain the difference between each doggie mani-pedi package and looked sorely disappointed when I finally replied “umm…just the basic trim please.” I then found myself wondering if I was a bad “mommy” because I wasn’t willing to cut into my vacation fund to let let my “little girl” have a manicure better than my own! Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my dog and I am included in the masses that are perfectly content with my canine baby substitute for the time being. I have been known to go to the store for milk and eggs and come home with a bag full of raw hides, pigs ears and fluffy ducks complete with an oh so annoying squeakers, but a spa day for my pooch is where I draw the line!

My theory was confirmed yet again at a number of recent social gatherings I attended with other 20 something ladies, both married and single. (Most of my friends are just starting their careers and have decided not to have children just yet.) Before we knew it, we realized that we had just spent the better part of an hour sharing pictures and stories about our dogs. This proves to me that we all have a motherly instinct and are, not so secretly,  fending off baby fever in favor of spontaneity and climbing the corporate ladder. At least for now, we are content to spoil our canine companions. Some maybe just a little more than others!

13 ways this amazing fruit can make your life easier…

I personally have never been a huge fan of cucumbers but after reading this they may just become a staple item on the grocery list!

I just might start carrying this amazing fruit in my purse!

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undet ectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nut rients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don’t have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the proble matic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don’t have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don’t have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a ‘green’ way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won’t leave streaks and won’t harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!