Like A Polaroid Picture, I Shook It (and 30DC day 3)
Hey beauties!
It was a slow start, but I’m starting to get some fabulous people to contribute to my Life Well Lived Feature!!
I would LOVE to feature beautiful moments from your life, so, whether you blog or NOT, put something together, and send it my way!! (That means you, yes, YOU.)
Anyway, Wednesday night, I went to my second Hip Hop Hustle class, here in Denton! WHOA, it was sooooo hard, and awesome. I was a sweaty, sweaty BEAST by the end! But I saw good friends, so I think that made it all worth it…
That’s me and my GORGEOUS friends, Gina (the instructor) and NICCI! YAY Nicci!
Yea, I know, it looks like we’re up in the club, but really, we’re GROSS, stanky and tired, and in an indoor hockey rink!! Hahaaa. Cool, Right?
Nicci and I talked for a bit after the class, about blogging. She and I are 2 DFW area bloggers, and are actually from the same suburb of the metroplex too, so we have tons in common. I LOVE that girl, she’s so awesome.
Both of us have been on a little bit of a hiatus from blogging, not intentionally, exactly, but it’s happened. And we’re both pretty excited to be on the wagon again, after all we feel better, more focused, more accountable, and more “on the wagon” when we’re blogging… so look for more from her as well. Which is good, cause she’s awesome. 
I am loving this hip hop class for two reasons:
1. It makes me sweat. Like, wring-out-your-t-shirt sweat.
2. It keeps me in my body and gives me more spatial awareness which will improve my skills as a VERY new and VERY inexperienced dancer. Dancing and choreography are required pieces of the Musical Theatre world, which I’m invested in right now, so it’s a great way for me to get my work out on.
30 Day Challenge: Day 3 Thoughts on Drugs and Alcohol
This will be short and sweet.
I really have no desire to discuss my morality with the world at large, because frankly, no one’s experiences are the same. I don’t hold you to my moral standard, nor do I want to be held to yours. But, to address the topic of the day, I can summarize as follows:
I choose to respect my body. I hope you choose to respect yours. If I choose to imbibe, I do so responsibly, and with full awareness and responsibility for any consequences, mild or severe, good or bad that may come as a result of any of my actions.
I really think that’s the only way to look at things… maybe it seems over simplistic, but it works for me. 
Thanks for all your sweet messages about my being back in the blogging saddle. The KT.com readership may not be big on comments, but you are big on emails and private messages, so I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here, and still reading even though I’ve been so absent for so long.
Question: Do you like to dance? How about at home in front of the mirror, or out in the club? Let me know how you like to shake that groove thang!!
30 Day Challenge: Day 2 10 Years From Now
Earlier this week, I started a 30 day blog content meme, where I’ll write about the following topics:
Today’s topic is: Where you’d like to be in 10 years.
Well, first of all, 10 years seems like a LONG way off. I know that it will race by, and will seem like a blink, but from where I sit now, it seems like a lifetime away.
10 years from now, I’ll be a few months shy of 38 years old.
Whoa. That was weird to type!
I guess there are some things that I can nail down about who I hope to be, or rather, who I hope to STILL be.
I hope I’m still working with adolescents with emotional/behavioral disorders in some capacity. Whether or not I will be able to stay in the classroom until then remains to be seen. I love my job, but I know that it is very taxing. So, I’m flexible in regards to my specific duties. I’m interested in working as a professor at some point along the line, but there’s no telling when that would happen, or in what circumstances.
I hope that I have maintained meaningful relationships with my family, and haven’t let the silly things that keep all of us busy from being communicative and connected.
I hope that I have close friends in my life, with people that I respect and admire. I hope that those relationships are mutually nurtured and that I am a worthwhile friend.
I would be totally open to living somewhere else in the next 10 years, but I don’t know if that’s something that Daron and I will ever actually consider in that time. Who knows? That being said, I never imagined that I’d live my whole life within a 50 mile radius.
In ten years, I hope to have given Lola at least 5 hugs in person. (From different trips of course) 
In ten years, I hope that I have maintained good health, in all aspects that I have control over. And let’s be honest, we have quite a bit of control over our health in most ways. I hope that I still move. Still like to dance around. Still fit into my pants. Hahaaa.
I hope I still have a creative outlet that SERVES me. Right now that’s musical theatre. I am enjoying performing EMMENCELY right now. But I hope I have the clarity of mind to find a new hobby if at some points it were to change in my mind.
I guess that’s pretty much the bulk of my goals. I’m sure there are others. But most of all, I guess I just hope that I am happy. That I am actively seeking my own joy. That I’m taking action, and not living a passive life.
REMINDER! I’m SO excited about the new feature I’m working on, Life Well Lived Lists. Please check out the post from yesterday, and read about this new little project I’m working on.
I would love SO much to feature a guest post from YOU about awesome things in your life’s story. Email me: kelsey@kelseytoney.com with your list!
Question of the day: Do you think about the future much? Or try to keep your mind on the present?
Life Well Lived List: vol. 1
So many of my bloggy friends have 101 in 1001 lists, or bucket lists, which, as I understand it, have similar purposes. To outline great and personal dreams, goals and aspirations. Things that you want to experience before your time on earth is through.
I like the idea, but not enough to create a list of my own.
Perhaps it’s because I fear disappointment (but I don’t think so), or maybe cause I always want to put my own spin on memes like this one, but I’m doing something different.
I’m going to start keeping up with a “life well lived” list, where instead of placing my focus on the future, and things I can’t control, I recognize the BEAUTY in the things I’ve already experienced. Things that would have been on my bucket list, if I’d only known how precious they’d be.
I’ve Climbed to Great Heights (And Slid Back Down on My Butt)
When Daron and I were vacationing in Sedona in 2008, we made our trek up to the summit of Bell Rock. One of the most AWESOME places ever. I’d climbed up before, but this trip, this time… I was at or near my heaviest. My weakest. And it was very difficult. I got there. Thought I’d die a few times, but made it to the look out point. Higher than I’d dared to go in the past.
I was glad that I’d made it. But the descent proved to be too intimidating for me…
So…
I slid down on my butt. I literally went through the ENTIRE seat of my britches by the time we found the bottom.
I’ve Taken Apart a Car’s Dash to Modify the Sound System
That’s right. I used pliers. I connected wires. I read the instructions and guides all on my own, and when I was done it worked. THAT’s one thing I never thought I’d do.
I’ve Lived in a Crappy Apartment Alone
Before Daron and I moved in together, I lived in a very, very crappy apartment.
It was cheap.
It was tiny.
It was in a bad part of town.
It was at least 45 minutes away from anyone I knew.
That being said, I really loved that place. Sure I got scared sometimes, and there were days or nights when I didn’t want to leave the house for fear of my LIFE! But, I did it. I lived alone. I made my own meals for one. Cleaned up after myself. Look out the garbage. And things continued to get better.
Eventually my bestie, Missy moved into the unit next to mine, and we got to be closer to each other. And I never had too much trouble with the staff or maintenance crew. And it really did have some charm. But when I left, I certainly didn’t realize at the time that I was closing the door on a phase of life that I won’t experience for a LONG, LONG, LONG time, if ever… (And I don’t even want to think about things that would require it) And there is a sadness in leaving that solitary space.
I’m grateful for my time there. And I’m glad that I can say that I experienced it on my own. I think it is something that enriched my life, for sure.
I’m hoping that these little stories, and my LWL list will be interesting to you…
And I’d also love so much if you wanted to share some of your LWL list with me!!
Therefore, I’ll be accepting submissions for Life Well Lived List posts submitted by you. Blog about a few of the unique, special, one-of-a-kind, memorable things you’ve experienced in your life and I’ll feature them here on my blog. Email your submission to kelsey@kelseytoney.com. Your post can be text only, or include photographs. Please choose 3-5 list items for your feature.
Also, if you decide to start a list of your own on your blog, please let me know, and I’ll add you to the list of participants!
Question: Do you have a bucket list, or some other epic-life list?
30 Day Challenge: Day 1 Current Relationship
So the illustrious Katy Widrick, who is a wonderful blogger who shares my technophilic heart, blogged about this challenge. I love her blog. It’s a great resource for new bloggers who don’t know how to do the things they want to do for their blogs, and I love that. Lets just say that Katy’s blog is in my “cream of the crop” folder in Google Reader. The HIGHEST echelon of the blogging world, I assure you.
She turned me on to a challenge, that she found via meals&moves, though we’re all at a loss as to who originally started it.
It’s a 30 Day blogging challenge wherein you discuss 30 topics, according to the following list.
I can’t promise that my blogging will be on consecutive days, (though that’s my goal) but I can promise to discuss each of these topics. Some of these, I can go ahead and tell you, I’m going to skim over, or be vague, or puss out or only discuss in general terms, but that’s my prerogative, right?? I can promise that whatever I share will be honest, and that you’ll learn a bit more about me as a person, in the process.
So, to begin, My Current Relationship.
I’ve written in the past about how I met and fell in love with my husband… (read about my brush with love at first sight: here. http://www.kelseytoney.com/2009/02/happy-valentines-day/) but, this is talking about my CURRENT relationship, and I can appreciate the distinction. That my current relationship might be different than the one I started so many years ago.
In a way… it is…
(circa 2005 courtesy of Emily Ann Garcia Photography)
It’s better.
Daron and I were married in 2005, after a 3ish year courtship.
And of course, we have the occasional scuffle about who has the pleasure of feeding our whiney-ass cats… on the whole, that man is my PARTNER.
It’s so comforting to know that someone will be in your corner EVERYTIME.
Even if what you actually need is someone to tell you that you’re being ENTIRELY dramatic and/or preposterous. (Who me??)
We are total opposites.
We are perfectly congruent.
We’re a literal miss-match of ideals and philosophies. We have contradictory views on dozens of important issues, and agree on an equal number of others. I’m social and gregarious. He’s shy and introverted. The list could LITERALLY go on for pages.
He tortures me with jokes and laughter, and our list of inside jokes and unspoken punch lines is extensive. Just as it should be.
Not perfect. But perfect. If you know what I mean.
Not meaning to gush, but what can I say, I’m in love.
It’s really pretty great to feel that way after about 9 years, now. It makes me grateful for the patience and acceptance that I’m regularly shown.
ANYWAY.
The rest of the challenge won’t be so mushy… or maybe it will be. But I hope you’ll enjoy reading it.
xoxo
Question: What’s the longest relationship you’ve encountered in your life? Parents? Grandparents?
winning! (and not in the Sheen way)
Let me go on record and just say that I think celebrating a clearly troubled man is sad.
Let me also say that some of his sound bites really have been completely hilarious.
Womp womp for Mr. Sheen.
Anyway, last week, I was on twitter… as I am, like, ALL the time. I seriously LOVE twitter. One of my favorite sources for beauty tips, tricks, and news is the Beauty Bean. They’ve got all kinds of great articles and feature them in meaningful categories like Cosmetics, Fitness, Mental and Emotional wellness, and Health. I really do love this site. Generally speaking, these women write about feeling good, working hard, breaking a sweat, and being a well rounded and intensely FABULOUS version of yourself.
Love them.
Anyway, a few weeks ago, their Editor, Alexis (who is also on twitter: http://twitter.com/AlexisWolfer) was organizing a little giveaway. Send in your best beauty tip and you could win a bag o swag from their product closet valued at over $300 bucks.
I couldn’t resist sending an admittedly “Operation Beautiful” inspired tweet… and hot-diggity-dog, I WON!!
(isn’t Alexis gorge?)
Just a couple days later, I was sifting through my epic bag of swag…
Hi Tinni!!
Guys, I got HOOKED up.
From Body Shop bronzer to Renee Rouleau serum, I got some sweet stuff.
Sooooo, I think you all should follow the Beauty Bean on twitter and get REALLY excited about the next time they do a giveaway. Cause it was seriously awesome. I’m getting to try stuff I would NEVER have purchased for myself. 
**For the record, I only wrote this post cause I wanted to share about how fun it was to win a contest. The Beauty Bean certainly never asked for or expected a plug on my lil’ blog, but I thought a shout out was the least I could do after taking hope such a wicked prize. 
**
Question: Have you ever won a giveaway on twitter or another blog? Do you enter giveaways often?
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