Quote of the Day 1/31/14

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.  [Leo Buscaglia]

Quote of the Day 1/30/14

Be careful of the things you read, the conversations you listen to. The content we consume becomes the content we create." [Jeff Goins]

Quote of the Day 1/29/14

"I am sure God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait."   [C.S. Lewis]

Quote of the Day 1/28/14

“The more we say yes to God, the more we will live in expectation of seeing Him. The more we expect to see God, the more we will. The more you experience Him, the more you’ll trust Him. The more you trust Him, the more you’ll open up your hands in absolute obedience.”  [Lysa TerKeurst]

Quote of the Day 1/27/14

"This year, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again." [Howard W. Hunter]

Quote of the Day 1/26/14

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety. Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in. Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day;begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays."  [Ralph Waldo Emerson]

Quote of the Day 1/23/14

"Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change."  [Bob Kerrey]

Quote of the Day 1/22/14

“Life sneaks up on us every once in a while and gives us something we didn't ever know we wanted, and lights within us a love we didn't even know existed.”    [Shauna Niequist]

Perception and Judgement

I spent this past weekend away in beautiful Julian and I right now, I'm kinda wishing I was still there. I miss being away, in the mountains, in nature and out of cellphone service range. I miss the simplicity of being out of the city and out of the busyness of life we sometimes get way too caught up in. 

Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate city life and I absolutely love living in San Diego. I also appreciate a nice restaurant, good food, symphony concerts, fast cars, Kate Spade, high heels and a chance to dress up every once in a while. 

But what I always love more than the bright lights and shiny objects that attract many are the simpler and often forgotten things people used to once enjoy a whole lot more and a whole lot more often. It is the chance to be outside, to sit on a porch in a rocking chair and watch the stars for hours. It is the chance to befriend stray animal and plant gardens and collect fresh eggs in the morning. It's horseback riding in the mountains away from everything and digging for worms with my grandpa for our next fishing trip. It's finding solace in nature and hiking for hours, appreciating the beauty of the world we live in. It's building campfires and roasting s'mores. It's the little things that cost nothing but their value is priceless. 

Growing up in the South, I spent all my time outdoors. The millions of mosquitoes, ever present risk of contracting West Nile and annihilating humidity could not keep me from the outdoors. My family didn't have cable and grass grew faster than our Internet connection but it didn't matter. I had outdoor cleaning businesses and dog walking services. I made compost piles and buried countless animals in my backyard.I grew fruits and vegetables with my grandparents and I ruined all my nice church dresses after Sunday Service but I would get lost in the woods and catch every speck of dust, dry leaves and sticks I could find. I was one happy child. Being in Julian was a reminder of childhood and the part of me I sometimes forget about and a part not many people know. 

Reflecting on these opposites in myself got me thinking about perception, judgment and how one of the most beautiful characteristics you can find in a friendship or relationship is a person who comes to understand the many facets of our personality.

People all too often take each other too quickly at surface value. Obviously if you wear a suit or high heals, you must be high maintenance. Obviously if you get a manicure, you aren't willing to camp that weekend. Obviously if you are a star sports player, you must be full of it and a jerk. Oh and obviously if you wear glasses, you must be really smart.. or a wannabe hipster. 

There can be some truth to these statements, but there is many times a whole story behind appearances and first impressions and we often fail to get to know people as a whole after learning just a part of who they are.

Quote of the Day 1/21/14

“Today is your big moment. Moments, really. The life you’ve been waiting for is happening all around you. The scene unfolding right outside your window is worth more than the most beautiful painting, and the crackers and peanut butter that you’re having for lunch on the coffee table are as profound, in their own way, as the Last Supper. This is it. This is life in all its glory, swirling and unfolding around us, disguised as pedantic, pedestrian non-events. But pull of the mask and you will find your life, waiting to be made, chosen, woven, crafted. Your life, right now, today, is exploding with energy and power and detail and dimension, better than the best movie you have ever seen. You and your family and your friends and your house and your dinner table and your garage have all the makings of a life of epic proportions, a story for the ages. Because they all are. Every life is. You have stories worth telling, memories worth remembering, dreams worth working toward, a body worth feeding, a soul worth tending, and beyond that, the God of the universe dwells within you, the true culmination of super and natural. You are more than dust and bones. You are spirit and power and image of God. And you have been given Today.” [Shauna Niequist - Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life]

Quote of the Day 1/19/14

"We have everything down to a science. We have all of our tomorrows planned out, and we have taken notes on what went wrong with all the yesterdays.But God steps in, in His wonderful today-ness, and shakes everything up. People waltz in to your life who you never would have noticed before. Opportunities pop up out of nothingness. Dreams abound. God brings laughter where there were tears and kindness where there was hatred. He brings peace where there was stress.And thankfully He brings us a new day, every day. Another good, creative, wonderful, full today."       [Author Unknown]

Life is like a puzzle

I like doing puzzles. Call me old fashioned, or maybe just old, but I really like puzzles. I've liked them ever since I was little. I used to sit and do them for hours with my grandparents. There are some inside jokes in my family about some ridiculous things I have said while "puzzling." Puzzles and I, we just go way back. And while I had abandoned them for a while, they have recently found a way back into my life. 

Forrest Gump told us that life is like a box of chocolates (you never know what you're going to get) but I'd like to think that life is more relatable to a puzzle. Life is kind of like a puzzle; you sort of know what you are getting yourself into. You just don't know the specific logistics. Like how long it will take to put together, and you don't have an absolute guarantee that all the pieces are in the box. There is both predictability and unpredictability. I guess there is that with a box of chocolates too, but I think a puzzle is a better representation.

Lately, my life feels more than ever like a puzzle. And in this puzzle, I seem to be missing the picture. You know the picture you look at it to help you know what image you are putting together? Well… I can’t seem to find it.

I'm a big picture person. You give me a task or assignment and I see the big picture first. I see the end product and then I sit down and put together the little details and plan to put it all together. Similarly, that’s how I like to do my puzzles. I look at the big picture and frame the outside and then put together everything in the middle. I think that’s how most people do puzzles; it makes sense. You get the frame put together and then you can piece all the centerpieces together. It's a whole lot easier that way. 

Quote of the Day 1/15/14

To everything there is a season,
a time for every purpose under the sun.
A time to be born and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
a time to kill and a time to heal ...
a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance ...
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to lose and a time to seek;
a time to rend and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent and a time to speak;
a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.

[Book of Ecclesiastes]

Quote of the Day 1/13/14

“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. All hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.”     [John Lennon]

Dining in San Diego, Part 2

this is my job sometimes. 

In between pondering the philosophical dilemmas of life, being a student and working for the County,  I also attend food events and restaurant openings as a representative of DiningOut SD.  The experiences I have been able to have through the magazine as well as my own personal foodie explorations have led me to some great dining spots in San Diego. 

San Diego has quite the food scene and has something for everyone. I wanted to share a few of my current favorites and recent discoveries. More to come, I promise :)

For Coffee:

- Caffe Calabria: Coffee is a highly debated topic because there are so many great coffee shops and roasting companies in SD, but in my opinion. Caffe Calabria is the best of all.  Not only do they roast their own beans but just one sip of their cappuccino takes me back to Rome in a heartbeat. Also, from Tuesday to Sunday, their talented pizza maker Luca makes pizza in a 950 degree oven that completes my Italian flashbacks. The pizza is an exact replica of what I ate and loved in Italy. Caffe Calabria has stolen a piece of my heart. 

http://www.caffecalabria.com/

exterior view. 

perfect cappuccinos. 

any pizza here is phenominal. cooked to perfection in 2 short minutes. 

- Coffee Couture: Their lattes and cappuccinos are well worth the drive to Tierrasanta. The milk is frothed to perfection and paired with a strawberry muffin, make for an excellent afternoon. 

http://coffeec.oliverwebguy.com/

- Pappelecco: Not only do they have coffee here, but also the best gelato in town. It is handcrafted with lots of love in store and sure to satisfy, rain or shine. They also serve authentic Italian pastries and sandwiches. But you really can't come here without trying the Nutella Cake. It's really all you've ever dreamed about if you love Nutella. 

http://www.pappalecco.com/

Quote of the Day 1/11/14

“Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.”     [Eleanor Roosevelt]

What is life?

I had 11 tubes going, what a fun time it was!

So 2014 came… and it started off with some jolly good times for me. On the 2nd day of this brand new, unblemished year, I was lucky enough to be admitted for a 5 day hospital stay in beautiful La Jolla, CA. 

Is it sounding like a vacation yet? Because it definitely was no where near a vacation. 

I learned that I must have the odds in my favor because I got a 1 in 100,000 person case of a nasty Staph infection that got into my blood stream and tried to take me out. Luckily by the sheer grace of God, the wisdom of my mother and the promptness of my best friend, I got the care I needed just in time before complications set in. Lets just say I am first, thankful to be alive, thankful to not have any complications or suffer any consequences and thankful for the friends and family who came and took care of me. Second, I am done getting sick for the rest of my life and I'm not going back to the hospital unless its time to have a baby. 

Scripps La Jolla Emergency Room… we are never ever ever getting back together. I hope you understand why. 

I am now back at home, resting, recovering and preparing for my final semester of college. Less than 4 months stand between me and my undergraduate diploma. As much as I am looking forward to finishing school and moving on to the next chapter of my life, there has been a question I know I am not the only one asking: "What is life?"

I know it sounds funny and everyone always asks with it with a laugh. But really, what is life? 

Quote of the Day 1/10/14

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”       [Elisabeth Kübler-Ross]

Quote of the Day 1/9/14

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”    [Elisabeth Kübler-Ross]

Quote of the Day 1/7/14

“I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”    [Maya Angelou]