Go Green! #BEDM

Captain Planet Cartoon - Originally Aired (1990-1996) 

There are tons of posts about people saying how they wished they lived in this or that time...but frankly I'm ever so glad to have been born in 1985 because we had some SERIOUSLY AMAZING cartoons by the time I was of age to really understand what I was watching. One such show was Captain planet. You know the show with the the Planeteers that screamed "Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, and Heart" and then the blue guy with the 80's haircut showed up flying through the air? Yeah that cheesy cartoon that was always on...Well I have to thank the creators of the show for showing lil 5 year old me how important the environment is to us. Oh yes and the movie, Ferngully too. Mustn't forget Ferngully with Robin Williams as Batty & Tim Curry as the Nexus. I was just too young to understand the importance of the Batty Rap...but now I do. Oh and the Saved the by the Bell episode with the oil spill...

Ferngully, 1992

What I'm trying to say is that the environment is the most important gift that the world has given us. Without being preachy, I try to be green whenever I can and there is so many simple ways to be green that you don't even have to think about because they are so easy.

1. Do Not Buy Styrofoam Whenever You Can

- I always buy paper plates and paper cups

- I switched to Keurig so I didn't have to go to out for coffee everyday & Not have another Styrofoam cup. 

- I use re-useable mugs and glasses at work.

2. DO NOT LITTER...

- Everyday I always get a red light right at my job and it's sad to see the grass near the exit is peppered with trash. It's disgusting and so unnecessary. Wait the few more minutes until your at a trash can. Come on, you know you can wait.

3. ALWAYS Cut up the Circular Plastic Holder for a 6 pack Cans of Soda

- When I was younger this was drilled into my head every time someone mentioned being green. It's real easy. Just use a scissors. It takes you 30 seconds Tops!

4. At Work, Have a Recycle Bin & Use It! 

My container is blue...What color is yours?

5. Public Transportation

- In the summer I try to use public transportation and walk where I can. =)

6. Look for "No Animal Testing" On Labels

- There are many popular sites, for example The Body Shop, that take pride in their cruelty-free products. It's a very valuable label to have. 

7. REUSE Product Bottles when You can... 

8. USE RE-USEABLE BAGS AT THE SUPERMARKETS

- Or if you literally have 1-2 items, forego the plastic bag all together. 

Source - Recycling Around the World Article

In What Ways Do You Try To Be Green? 

Happy Mother's Day!

The Child's Bath by Mary Cassatt 

There is one person in the world that I could write an endless list of thanks to and that dear person is my  mother. She has always been my biggest fan, the shoulder to cry on, the ear to talk off for hours, the one who truly understands, and has made me who I am today. Without her help I never would have finished college or had the motivation to, I never would have went to dance classes, I would have never   learned not to give up, I would never have become such an independent and strong minded woman, and I wouldn't have had the experiences and learned the lessons that I'm trutfully grateful for. Thank you Mom for putting me first in so many ways that I don't know how I could ever give you enough thanks and love to prove how wonderful you are. I love that even at 27 you let me curl up with on the couch and you give me that hug that let's me know everything will be alright. Thank for showing me how important having my grandparents are in my life and thank you for teaching me the value of family and love. Thank you for sneaking out on Black Friday with me to get the best deals at midnight or waiting online at 4am for a computer for me in the snow a few years ago. I love that she would joke all the time when I would leave the house, call me if you need bail money, even though she knew I was just going for ice cream. I love that she threw me the most amazing graduation party from when I graduated college. I love that I can call her at any time of the night, no questions asked, and she would come get me if I needed a ride. I love that when I was sick a few years ago she never let me go to anything by myself. Not one appointment. Thank you for helping me buy my condo, my first real home by myself...I can't thank you enough. I love Mom so much. So So much. =)

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there today! 

*HUGS* 

Social Media + Travel Dream #BEDM

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 DAY 9 - Social Media...#BEDM

Well I'm a self-diagnosed obsession with Pinterest. You can check out my boards HERE. It all started w/ one board of Black & Red things and it catapulted into a daily habit that I could get lost in for hours and hours. I love it...But it's so me. I was the girl with the posters all over her bedroom walls of the cute boys from 16 & Teen Bop magazine, I had the magazine cut-outs of dresses, I had the editorial photos that took my breath away and more all nestled away in trapper keepers galore. Pinterest has saved the lil space I have left in my apartment. I can virtually pin anything I want to my wall. =)

From Pinterest has spawned one of my favorite sites for a humor pick-me-up too. Pinterest Fails. I just love them. 

Please don't hate me, but I don't fully grasp the whole Twitter idea. I use Twitter to let people know when I've exercised, when I've posted a new blog post, and then I'll tweet a news article or two that I find interesting or funny. That's it. Every time I see the 52 new tweets or 35 new tweets notification after I've only been on it for mere minutes I get overwhelmed. Mostly the "new" tweets are people replying to other people but I didn't know the original conversation so I'm like "What the hell are people talking about?" It gives me great aniexty and FOMO (Fear of missing out) when a reply to someone else is fun and interesting. Maybe I don't use it enough or need to get the hang of it. =/

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Day #10 - Travel Dream #BEDM

My travel dream is Paris, France. I wish I had Dorothy's ruby red shoes and could click my heels and be there. I'm not exactly sure where my Paris dream came from, but I have such an awe for Paris, the French language, and all trimmings. It seems like such a dream.

*Shaking my Piggy Bank* 

My best friend, Danielle and I have decided to go to Paris for our 30th birthdays. That's 2 & half years away. I think that's more than enough time to start saving up! When I break a dollar I put my change in my piggy bank, when I find loose change which somehow I ALWAYS do I put in there, and when I return my water bottles & soda bottles to the super market I've been asking for coins so it can start adding up.

 I'm hoping this Paris truly becomes a reality. I'm really hoping! =)

Another Reason to LOVE Pinterest - {Pin}

This post is part of the #Blog Every Day in May challenge from Rosalilum! =)

My First Job - #BEDM

Piano scene in the movie, Big, 1988

I love when people ask me this question! Today's entry in #Blog Every Day in May from Rosalilium is to Tell about your First Job. To this day it has still been my favorite job. When I was 14 I worked at a toy store called The Toy Box in my  town that was designed to bring FAO Schwartz to a small town in the New York suburbs. With movies like Big and Home Alone 2 playing on repeat when I was younger, I used to pass the toy store in the town stating that I would one day work there. The school year after I turned 14 in August I marched my lil self into my school's office and got my working papers. Within that week I had a job. =)

I was too young to work the registers, so I was always on the sales floor. It was a dream to give lil kids Thomas the tank engine toys, American Girl doll clothes, Madame Alexander dolls, Toy Story 2 dolls,  and lil doll house kits that once a lil girl saw them they had to have them. I learned so much about people's body language  back then and honestly I still use those skills to read people. If a father came in with his hands in his pockets he was NOT going to buy anything. When a woman came in and let the kids roam free with her wallet in her hand, money was no question, and the kid could have whatever they retrieved. 

I even remember a lil girl once stole a lil stuffed animal kitten. I saw her stick in her coat after her mother had told her no toy today because it was near her birthday and she admitted to me that she was feeling out what toys her daughter went to and would be back. Little 14 year old me felt like such a bitch to tell my boss that they lil girl stuffed the lil toy into her coat. But I did. The mother turned so red she almost walked right out of the store, but the lil girl actually went up to her mother and confessed. It was awesome!

The toy store is actually still open and I always smile when I pass it by. It was fun, ever so much fun to work there! =)

What Was Your First Job? 

I'd love to hear! =)

Pets - #BEDM

Cuteness Overload - {Pin}

I remember getting my junior year high school creative writing paper back and literally saying WTF quietly in my head. There was a D written in bold Red "Error" marker and a little note under it. "Please re-read the assignment's question and come see me after class." I'm going to try not to gloat but I had never gotten a D before in my life, especially in writing. In high school I was very proud and confident about my hard-earned grades. A big "D" made me eyes see only red. 

The assignment, I remember so vividly because I was so mad, was "Write about your favorite experience with your pet." I perfectly understood the assignment, but the thing was that at 16 I had never had a pet before. Somehow I just missed it. My aunt had a cat so I would play with hers, my friends all had doggies so I would play with them, and I didn't really give it a second thought. I wound up writing about my mother's experience with her cat because I couldn't draw on a personal experience of my own pet. 

After class I went to my teacher and she seemed very confused of my story choice. "Chloe, is everything alright? This is not like you to not answer the assignment question etc.." I told her I never had a pet and she was shocked. She couldn't believe it. Well being that I was 16 years old at the time I told her to speak to my mother and ask her if I had ever had a pet. 

Long story short...my paper got upgraded to a B after the incident. I was 16 and had never had a pet and I don't think it was a crime at all. 

Truthfully, I didn't get a pet until 3 months ago...

Craig and Angel

She has such crystal blue eyes. 

I don't regret not having a pet all these years, but I never thought I could feel such love from a lil adorable animal. When I wake up and she is all curled next to me, my heart melts. When I see her put her paw on Craig in the middle of the night or lick his hair like he's one of her kittens it's so unbelievably cute that I seriously have to hold in the gigantic Aww! 

A lil video of Angel baby...that's are lil pet name for her. =)

I leave her every morning like this...She's my adorable lil kitty in the window!

As you can tell I'm a cat person...

Do You Have Pets? 

I'd love to hear about them!! =)

Linking up with Rosalilium for #BEDM

READERS: Oh and please forgive my lack of commenting this week & last. My job blocked blogger & bloglovin so I'm scrambling on a way to read my favorite blogs at lunch time and have barely had a free moment to post. I'll be back to normal by next week! Love you all so much! 

Living Together + Big Decisions...

Whitney TV show, 2013

When opportunity knocks you have to take it...Right? Well it's not that easy when your currently living with your boyfriend and the big decision affects not one but both of you. 

My condo that my boyfriend and I currently live in is a studio. One big room that has it's good days and it's bad days. There is a separate kitchen room, but not enough closet space right now for both of us. It's a tight fit, but we are making it work. It's hard to fight because there is no where to escape to and we both have to put the TV on when the other is in the bathroom so we don't hear "noises". The experience has truthfully brought us closer together in ways I didn't think possible too. But how long can we stay in this small studio apartment? How long can we make "due" with what we have? 

This past week an opportunity has come up that could change everything. A townhouse that does have green carpeting that would have to go could be up on the market with an advantage that Craig and I knew the previous owners. In a dream world they would say, "Okay we'll sell you this one bedroom two floor townhouse, with a deck, a dishwasher, a washer & dryer, AND 1 1/2 bathrooms for a $100,000." In reality we have no idea what the price would be just yet...but I don't know how to even start the thinking about something like this...This is Big...Real Life Changing Big....

I personally own my lil studio and it was hell getting a mortgage and all the real estate crap that requires you to get a lawyer. I know the nitty gritty dance that needs to happen in order to get a new home. But besides that there is a lot to figure in...questions like "marriage", "savings accounts", & "Future kids". I say future kids because there is only one bedroom... Oh yeah and commute! My commute would have an additional 20 minutes tacked onto it's already half hour drive. Craig's would be cut down by 10 minutes or so. Hmm...it seems those are some of the negatives to moving into a bigger place...

Like always I think I of the negatives first. I'm working on this lil habit of mine, but I have to look at the possible positives too. I wouldn't have to listen to a zombie fighting game constantly, our kitchen would not be in ear shot or smell shot, we wouldn't have to go outside to do our laundry, we'd have a dishwasher, we'd be able to entertain more people, have a dining room, and I guess the biggest positive of all would be to not be stepping all over each other. But we have to find out first and foremost how much the unit would cost...so I have a lil time to calm my nerves. 

I can't remember the last time I had to make such a large decision that impacted so much. I'm definitely going to need a lil help here...

How Do You & Your Significant Other Make Big Decisions? 

I'd love to hear...

Fit & Health...#Blog Every Day in May

{Source}

Ever since I started this blog I've made a strive and a goal to become fit and healthy. I've been to going to the gym, doing crunches, resisting the pretzels & popcorn, and fitting into more clothing that has been hanging dormant in my closet for far too long. But throughout this journey I'm learning that there is so much more to being fit and healthy that have nothing to do with exercise and eating right...it has to do with you, and how do you feel and what do you need to be healthy... I'll explain.

It's hard to wake up and know exactly what you need for the day. I scurry around my house for an hour  every morning to try to collect myself...but let's go deeper then what we show the world on the outside. Like I mentioned in this post here, I was not always the healthiest of people once upon a nightmare. Life changes came out of nowhere and I was forced to make decisions for my health & well being. Ever since then I've had to look outside the box & take a look at my life almost from an outsider point of view to get the real picture. 

At those hard times a few years ago I realized I was in love w/ a man who could never love me back who oozed toxicity, I had shitty friends who could barely give me the time of day when I was sick, and I was in a dead-end job that was depressing the hell out of me. I knew something had to change. In order to be healthy I needed to change. Healthy is more than just your waist size, it's your life. I was not happy and was drowning in my current situations. I did happen to wake up one morning though and vowed to change my current everything. It was the best decision I've ever made. 

You need to have encouraging friends that will hear you rant and give you POSITIVE feedback, you need a significant other in your life that will bring out the best in you not chastise you for the worse, & you need a job or career that makes you a better person. Life is not perfect and you have to make your own decisions on what's right for you and making those decisions are the most important! 

Today I went to a local 3.5 mile lake to meet up with a bunch of gal pals and a bunch of new girls that I hope to become friends with in the future. I've been going to these meet-ups for quite some time and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I've met people that I knew I'd never get to meet by chance and have opened my horizons to meet people who are in my same frame of life so it's incredibly awesome to relate. This meetup killed two birds with one stone too because all 7 of us went for a walk around the entire lake after the picnic! =) I can't wait for the next meetup. 

I keep saying that life is a process and it seriously is. Becoming healthy in all facets of your life is a process too. One you have to keep working at to see results. But trust me, sitting around positive people and coming home to a positive enforcing man playing a zombie game is the best feeling ever. =) 

What Do You Need to be Healthy? 

I'd love to hear...

Five Favorite Blogs...

Giovanni Boldini, La Cantante Mondana, 1884

When people ask me my favorite anything I spaz out. For example Craig and I's first few dates, 3 years ago, lasted hours and hours of countless conversations because I could barely stick to my favorite ice cream flavor. I just love too many things. I just love that painting up there too. Today it's my favorite. I've always said I was an old soul...I wonder if that's why I love older paintings so much?!?

Anywho, naming my favorite blogs and narrowing it down to five is a daunting task for me. Have you seen my Bloglovin? I follow a lot of blogs and it's hard to keep up! But I do have my favorities....I have a MUST READ category and I am always a lil bit sad that I have wait until tomorrow or the next day to see the que fill up again! 

It's IMPOSSIBLE for me to pick 5 favorite blogs...I've been thinking about this all day and no...it's unfair for me to only list 5 blogs. I've gotten too much joy, excitement, and learned too much from over amazing people! I can't pick 5...but I'll do 15...Hey that's 5 times 3...it still works! =)

Why Girls Are Weird

Sitting in a Tree

Dancing Branflakes

Young Heart

Vodka and Soda

How Sweet It Is

Musings of an Unapologetic Dreamer

Our Life on the [Big] Screen

Noor's Place

Elephantine

Maiedae

Freutcake

The Soho

Design Love Fest

With C.H.

Okay I know that's 15 but I have to add one more that gives me those 1pm smiles everyday. =)

Itty Bitty Kitty Commitee

I feel like I've left some of my favorites out. This is hard...Please take a look at my Bloglovin and who I'm following because there are so many favorites so many wonderful people that have made my life a lil bit better each day and I've learned from them lessons that I wish somehow I could give back to them  and say thank you. Blogging has made me realize that I'm not alone in the world...even if I don't have friends that are going through similar situations as me, I know someone out there in the blogging community is and it's so refreshing and I am eternally grateful! =)

What are Some of Your Favorite Blogs? 

This post is part of "Blog Every Day in May" series from Rosalilium.

Source

A Day in the Life...

In Rosalilium's Blog Every Day in May Post Challenge, today's meme is A Day in the Life....Well...

When I was younger, I was obsessed with the Indiana Jones movies. Harrison Ford was my biggest celebrity crush before Jonathan Taylor Thomas hit 13 & sorta took over everything. I thought it was the coolest thing that Indiana Jones was a professor by day and an explorer who finds hidden arks & battles  weird bald guys on a drawbridge for bread stones. So I wanted to grow up to be a professor & then explore the wonders of the world...Also the TV shows Hercules and Xena was on the WB 11 when I was younger and that just confused younger me all to hell about when all this was actually taking place. hehe. Oh yeah and then the TV Show Land of the Lost w/ the dad & kids falling through a time warp to dinosaur land just fucked it all up even worse. 

But anywho...Um yeah I wind up being a marketing analyst by day and a blogger/writer by night. I don't really take outfit photos as you can see up there, I work in an VERY casual setting. It's comfortable but I think it makes me get bored more easily. If I was in a blazer or a skirt I feel like I would take myself more seriously. Maybe...

This is my cubicle and yes I have a MILLION yellow post-its that I put on everything. Somehow I do have order in the chaos...some days. Every time I sit at my desk I think about that scene in Office Space where Ron Livingston pulls out the pins of his wall and it falls down. Oh I wish I could that one day! 

I'd give anything for a window. =) 

Then I stare at the clock and wait for it to move to 5pm...Why are you not going faster time!!

When it turns to five I'm a whole new me. I have this lil kitty cat greeting me hello to which is awesome!

Then I have this man serenading me...

That pretty much sums up me! I'm a very lucky girl to have a wonderful man, a job, and go home to my lil family! =) 

What Are You By Day and By Night? =)

Spring is Here!

Source - Bri from the blog, DESIGNLOVEFEST

Oh Spring...you naughty trickster that you are! You have toyed with lower New York for the past month or so and I just don't know what to do with you! One day you bring warm gorgeous sit out in the sun weather...other days you are bringing rain and cold temperatures all day long! But I think finally you are evening out and it makes my heart go bitter patter for the days to come. 

My boyfriend Craig, my best friend Danielle, and I all suffer from severe seasonal effectiveness disorder. We are literally not ourselves during the wintery months. The spring brings us back...makes us come alive again. I'm feeling the desire to WANT to take long walks at my lunch hour, I WANT to sit outside at a local restaurant, and I can't wait to have a picnic this Sunday with a few of my gal pals at Rockland Lake. It's an incredible feeling.

There is so much more though that Spring means to me...

~ It's longer days of sunshine ~ 

~ It's times at the beach collecting precious seashells ~ 

~ It's people watching & seeing all the people emerge from the wintery slumber ~ 

~ It's carnivals popping up all over my county w/ cotton candy galore & Gravitons! ~

~ It's ice cream dates to Temptations creamery in my hometown ~

~ It's taking a power walk at lunch and catching that beautiful aroma whiff of fresh flowers ~

~ It's weirdly hearing a chirping bird at midnight from my back window ~ 

~ It's cute dresses that I can't wait to wear ~ 

~ It's going to Six Flags Great Adventure and riding all the rides ~ 

~ It's that beautiful day when it actually gets hot and then a sudden rain shower cools down the air ~ 

~ If I actually get a bike it will be bike ridding too! ~
~ Finally eating a nice juicy mango ~
~ Having a hot dog and a hot pretzel at a baseball game!  ~ 

I just find that I'm happier in the Spring...It's a wonderful feeling! =)

What Does Spring Mean to You?

What Have You Done So Far to Celebrate Spring? 

Linking up for #BEDM w/ Rosalilium

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I'm Just a Girl in the World...

Thank goodness for that flat iron!! =)

May 1st...you sneaky devil popped up out of nowhere. It was so weird to tear off April's page on my desk calendar and see the possibilities of a clean slate for May! Part of this clean slate is a challenge that  will take place here for the next 31 days! I'm joining up with a Elizabeth @ Rosalilium and a whole bunch of other amazing bloggers to take part in "Blog Every Day in May" Challenge. It seems daunting, but I think I can stick to it! It also will let you wonderful readers learn a lil more about the real me! =)

Oh and btw, I have big plans for June...BIG plans! I also will still be doing my "Living Together" Series and take part in the weekly lists from Mooreaseal. 

Well here goes nothing:

~ May 1st ~ 

 5 Lines About Me

"I'm just a girl in the world..."

- Lyrics from "Just a girl" by No Doubt

"And all I wanted was the simple things...A simple kind of life" 

- Lyrics from"Simple kind of Life" by No Doubt

“I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.” 

- Quote from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol

"I like you, just as you are..."

- Quote from Bridget Jones Diary, the movie

"All of these lines across my face, tell you the story of who I am..." 

- Lyrics from "The Story" by Brandi Carlile

I know this list of lines about me may seem vague and random but that is me. I speak in song lyrics & movie quotes. I'm a just a 27 year old New York girl who wants a simple life that can't turn back & who fell in love with a man just as he is. =)

Another 5 things About me:

1.) I'm halfway through Silver Linings Playbook...I love this movie! So much passion and energy. 

2.) The Great Gatsby - I am so excited to see this in 2 weeks! Please let it be good!!

3.) Craig and I purchased a Cuisinart Griddler & it was the best purchase! We made delicious burgers  that cooked deliciously well done in less than 10 minutes.

4.) Brandi Carlile - I can't stop listening to her song "The Story". It's beautiful!

5.) I just love Craig's cat Angel. My new favorite thing is waking up to her all snuggled with me. She apparently loves kitty cat animal crackers too! =)

What's Five Things About You? 

I'd love to hear!