wisdom from a father is invaluable

I found a box of books a few weeks ago with many books I haven't read, and many that I love but haven't read for a long time. Since I don't have much shelf space in my room I decided to swap out the books I've read recently for new ones and old favorites.

While I was rummaging I came across a message my father wrote in a book he gave me for my 17th birthday. My dad always writes a little in books that he gives me and it's one of the most treasured aspects of my life. This particular book is a collection of poems and tales by Edgar Allan Poe. I always admired that big volume on his shelf but never opened it because I knew how much he loved it and how protective he is with books. What he wrote was this:

"Dear Clari,

Happy 17th birthday!

I hope you enjoy this book. It was my personal copy. I hope that you find it as enjoyable as I do.

Remember that a good book can be a good friend and an escape from the world when things get rough.

Also, Poe rocks!!

I love you.

Love, Dad."

I've been repeating the italicized sentence to myself over and over since I found it. Because my dad is right. He knew that I use books as an escape when things get rough; that's something I've always done, and he knows it's something I'll always do. Not to mention, my life was turmoil when I was 17 and I think this was his way of encouraging me to deal with life in a productive way. Reading is never detrimental.

Now, years later, it's incredibly relevant to my life. That book holds such wisdom. It could very well be my favorite because my father's advice is timeless. I feel so grateful to have such an understanding and wise father. And Poe does rock!

the summer: images

A few days late, but here are a few of the pictures I took on the summer solstice.

Sunrise with the wind turbines.

The view of Idaho Falls from Sunnyside; sunrise.

Purple fuzz; midday.
[I have no clue what this is.
Some sort of weed, I'd guess,
but it really intrigued me.
I think it's beautiful.]

Looking west; sunset.
[I love the golden sliver you can see from
the setting sun's reflection on the Snake River.]

the summer

Yesterday was the longest day of the year! I decided to make it really fun for myself. Everything I did was laced with a little bit of "first day of summer" fever. I took advantage of every minute of sunshine. I even woke up to watch the sun rise and was sure to watch it set, too. I went to a great yoga class, I got to wear a pretty sun dress; my boyfriend and I walked around downtown with iced tea, peeking into antique stores and thrift stores. We also walked around the river and that may have been my favorite part of the whole day. We walked for hours. I took some pictures because I wanted the day to be memorable. The summer solstice this year marked the day when I started taking myself seriously again and made a game plan to work harder than ever before. I'm lucky my boyfriend accepts my swift attitude adjustments. I'm lucky I had someone so wonderful to spend my happiest day of the year with.

I'll try to post some pictures tomorrow. I would do it tonight but I'm exhausted after spending hours cleaning and organizing my things. Thank goodness for two days off in a row!

BRETTSDOTTER

I spent Father's Day with my dad. It seems like an obvious thing to do but this was big for me since I don't remember the last father's day I spent with him. I'm so happy that I had the opportunity to do so this year. I love my dad; he believes in me more than anyone in the world and he's one of the nicest, most funny guys I've ever met. We had a relaxed, lazy day. We browsed magazines, talked fitness and food, and exchanged funny stories. We also talked about some serious life topics.

Somehow I knew we'd talk about those things. I think maybe I've been especially tuned into the Universe lately, who knows. But for the past month or so I've been feeling like I needed to prepare for something. I felt like it was high time I kick it into high gear and get serious. What "it" was I didn't know until I talked to my dad on Sunday afternoon.

You see, my dad is a plotter. He taught me how to set goals and manage time and money from a very young age. He's always striving for the next, greatest thing in life, and he passed that on to me. Most recently, he's worked out a way to help me achieve one of my highest goals in the next year! I was floored when he told me what he's been thinking. He loaded me up with resources and ideas on Sunday and told me to start practicing my passion again, this time with the intention of never letting it wane again and only letting it grow. I don't know where I'd be without my dad. He's always there for me in the ways that matter the most. He's the greatest blessing in my life. And because of him I get to start the most exciting part of my journey faster than I thought!

jubilation

*Sleeping in

*Vitamin D production

*Ab workout

*Laughter

*Paycheck

*A gorgeous succulent

*The cool breeze

*Everything crossed off my To-Do list

*Coconut almond fudge ice cream

*Mini facial

*A new dress & skirt

*Love from loved ones

*English breakfast tea

*Fresh, clean clothes

*Eucalyptus essential oil

*Conversation

*Conviction and commitment

"Someday my ship will come in..."

Exactly one week ago, at the impressive age of 91, Ray Bradbury left us for another dimension.

His was a name I grew up with. My father always listed him as one of his favorite authors. When I was a bored teenager my dad would tell me to go to the library and read Bradbury's short stories. "They're the best" he'd tell me. And he was right. I remember being put off, at first, when my dad told me he wrote science fiction. That didn't appeal to me. Luckily, my dad knew me, and recognized Bradbury's excellence, and he persisted, so I listened to him.

Reading Bradbury is a decision I've never regretted. I Sing the Body Electric! helped me cope with a difficult time in my life, and it's one of my heart's most treasured books. I don't remember where my copy came from. It's old, probably considered vintage; the pages are yellowing, slightly stained, and coming up from the binding in some parts. I'll never get rid of it. I'll read it to my children.

Something tugged at my heartstrings when I heard Mr. Bradbury had died. His thoughts and ideas about the present and future always lined up so well with mine. A sort of melancholy excitement; a desire for the best, but an awareness that things could end up terribly crooked. I always admired him, especially for never going to college and still achieving an eminence in his career field. What a cool, passionate man!

He's one of the few, true authors that has touched my deepest thoughts. I'm grateful to have so many of his words at my fingertips to enjoy throughout the rest of my life.

"Stuff your eyes with wonder, live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. 

See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made

or paid for in factories."

June Commitments

May was a success! Well, mostly. I'm still having a hard time with food consciousness, but I think that's because I haven't had a job in a month. Which makes decent grocery shopping nearly impossible. I will continue to strive for that goal. On the other hand, I read plenty and exercised quite a bit! Granted, I haven't done much physical activity the past week and that's because I'm adjusting to a new schedule.... a new work schedule! It feels amazing to be working again. What's even better is that I'm in an environment I really like!

And in June I will:
Keep up the exercise: Mostly by going to the gym because my membership is over in July. I won't renew it because I need to focus more on my finances. And I've been building a small arsenal of fitness gear and DVDs, so there is no reason not to exercise at home.

Save and Budget: Pretty self explanatory. My new job is only part-time, so I'll be making considerably less for a bit until I get the gumption to get a 2nd job (probably after summer, because I want to...

Spend time outdoors: Now that summer is officially on the way here I'd like to visit some waterfalls, caves, hiking trails, all that good stuff that I moved back to Idaho for.

I will be better about blogging... promise!