Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Dream a Little Dream



Do you remember all the different professions you wanted throughout the course of your life?

One minute you want to be the President of the United States, next you want to be an Astronaut, then a pop star, then a comedian, then a veterinarian, etc. etc. etc.

It's crazy how much the people in our lives can alter what we want to do in terms of careers. Today's media also plays a huge part. We are inspired by the popular idols we see in movies and online.

Heck, I myself am inspired by the people I read about in books. I love turning to the end of a novel and reading about the life of the person who write it.

Sometimes I wonder if I am on the right train, traveling to the destination which will make me happiest.

I am inspired by anything and everything I see and absorb. So when I watch videos on youtube from my favorite makeup artists, I cannot help but think if I would enjoy being a makeup artist and getting a chance to help people look their best, be as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside.

Then I remember everything I am working towards. The quiet yet amazing and adventurous life of being a writer.

At the end of the day, I love knowing that the stories I create are entirely my own. That no one else in the world has combined the same words or the same sentences as I have. It is all my own, it's unique, precious, and THAT is nothing short of magical.

Be proud of your craft, whatever it may be.

Work towards it. Seize it. Dominate it!

And remember that I love you.

~Piper

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Creature of Habit….




Everyone has habits....

I bite my nails when I am nervous or scared.

I chew the end of my straw when I am at a restaurant, and then proceed to blow bubbles in my drink.

I burst out into song throughout the course of the day.

I pinch the bridge of my nose when I am deep in thought.

I double check, triple check, quadruple check the ingredients I am supposed to put into a recipe.

I coo at my betta fish because I have no other pets to coo to. It’s a sad thing to behold.

I giggle like a pixie when I find something amusing, or at least so I’m told.

I curl up into a ball before I go to sleep.

I am incredibly protective of my porcelain skin. Sunscreen is my friend.

I make cat sounds as a form of communication at times. Yeah…no explanation for that one.

I refuse to bend the corners of pages as a form of bookmark.

I smell books after I purchase one or get one from the library. Such a pleasant scent.

I act like a man when I eat. There is no daintiness allowed when it comes to chicken wings my friend.

I try to learn something new every day, whether it be a fun fact or a new word.

If I don’t wear concealer under my eyes, I will die. I have the worst dark circles you can imagine.

I must smell yummy or pretty before I leave the house. It has to be subtle, not loud.

I can recite Disney movies by heart.

I carry a little notebook around with just in case I have to sketch or write something down.

I wave my hand whenever I enter a store with automatic doors, it makes me feel like a jedi.

etc.

Tell me some of your habits!

~Piper

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

If You Just Believe



Methinks Mr. Josh Groban said it best, “you have everything you need, if you just believe.”

(I got to see him LIVE in concert on the 15th, needless to say I melted into a tiny little puddle of sheer bliss and happiness.)

Ahem. But let me ask you this, do you believe? No I am not about to go all “preachy” on you. Seriously though, I mean, do you truly actually with all that you are and with all your heart…believe?

“Believe in what?” you ask. I’m not asking you to believe in fairies, but you better clap your hands just in case!

Quite simply, I am asking if you believe in yourself.

Have you forgiven yourself for the mishaps and the mistakes you have made? We are human, even the best of us make mistakes. What would life be without its curveballs and pitfalls? Yes we condemn them when they happen, we shake our fists in fury and swear like sailors.

But when was the last time you gave yourself a pat on the back and really smiled at yourself in the mirror?

A lot of the time we find life passing us by too quickly, we never take a moment to say “Stop stop STOP! Hold up, just give me two seconds.” Take a deep breath, look around you. For goodness sake relax. Life loves to put on its running shoes and go at a contant speed of 600 miles a second when we can only run 80 miles a minute.

Take those polietely requested two seconds to really appreciate life. Seconds are ticking away constantly. That is the beautiful and ugly thing about time, it goes at a steady pace, coming when we want it to and even when we don’t want it to. It’s an invisible thing that rules us all, yet we believe in it. Especially when we begin to see those crow’s feet in the corners of our eyes and feel the weakness in our bones and hair coming out of our ears.

There are people all over the world who believe in things that they cannot see. I do the same. I believe in things I cannot see or touch or taste or smell, but I have the courage to put my faith and trust in the things that are looking out for me, even the mischievous muses that come in and out of my life providing me with the inspiration to write.
(end of rant)

If you have to absorb and learn something from this blog entry, it’s that you should believe in not only the invisible, but also believe in the visible. Believe in yourself. Even if the weight of the world is too much for you to bear, you failed a test, love sucks, your parents are nagging you, your pet died, you forgot to pay a bill on time, you got fired, whatever. Life is certainly not fair, people have the power to make you miserable, but one thing they cannot take away from you is your belief. It is a flame that stays lit as long as YOU kindle it and take care of it. If you believe in yourself, everything becomes a little easier.

Smile. Today is all yours. You got this. I’m behind you 110%. I love you.

Go to my other blog to read my short stories: http://short--flashes.blogspot.com/

~Piper

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Short Stories Galore!




Drum-roll please!

This is the moment you have all been waiting for! Right? Right? Am I right?

I have created a second blog devoted ONLY to short stories written by yours truly. There is no general theme or protocol, it's as simple as me and my imagination.

If you are interested in paying that blog a visit and reading the first story I just posted, go to the following link: http://short--flashes.blogspot.com/

Happy reading and be sure to comment and leave feedback so that I know whether or not my work needs tweaking.

I love you all, my gentle readers. And yes, this blog will continue to be updated with my observations and odd happenings.

Smile, this day is yours.

~Piper

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Need to Knead



Chai tea is quite possibly one of the best things on this planet....

Seriously

I mean think about it. Any kind of tea will either make you feel British OR will put you at ease. Especially chai tea, which is subtle yet packs a punch of serious spices and flavors that entice your taste buds to take that next sip.

Another thing that tops the list of being one of the best things on this planet

KNEADING BREAD DOUGH

When you have had an incredibly stressful day and nothing in the world seems to make sense, you can always retreat back to a simple and tasty cook book, crack it open to one of your favorite recipes, and begin the magic of creation.

Bread is the ultimate trickster. You have to make sure the yeast is active and that all the ingredients are behaving properly and that you add enough flour to make it sticky but not too sticky.

Once you have a lovely blob of baby-bottom soft dough, you are golden. There you get the opportunity to knead it into submission until you have taken all your problems out on the combination of flour, butter, and milk.

Consider it to be a tasty "stress ball".

Once it is all baked and filling the house with its delicious warm scent, it is the silent reassurance that you did something right that day and that all is good in the world.

Settle down on the sofa with Pride & Prejudice, a piece of the freshly baked bread and some chai tea and that will make for a ridiculously satisfying evening.

A recipe that I have tried and strongly recommend:

http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/03/cinnamon-sugar-pull-apart-bread/

This woman is a genius. Queen of the kitchen.

In conclusion: have a lovely week, keep your head up high, smile at the little things, laugh out loud, and savor every sip of tea.

Also, be sure and knead the life out of that bread dough. Life will get better.

~Piper