So remember...

A couple weeks ago, I gave you the first sweet spoonful of eye candy? Well, open wide...here's dose #2:

Exactly!

Cute

Come on, its funny...

And so is this...

Nothing like a adorable Husky video to get my day started right!

A perfect birthday or Christmas gift?

This bad boy has just been declared street legal. It looks incredibly awkward to drive, but I'll figure it out. 

Here's a link on its detes and a video:

http://beta.hammacher.com/Product/Default.aspx?sku=11862&promo=Gifts-Extraordinary&catid=1124

The Good Life

• Assume nothing
• Do more
• Need less 
• Smile often
• Dream big
• Laugh a lot 
• Realize how blessed you are and don't take anything for granted

Quote kick

I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.
-Mother Teresa

From the Great Muhammad Ali

"If you ever dream of beating me, you better wake up and apologize."

Winning pieces

I find inspiration in the damnedest places, and when I do, I snap a photo of it. I've developed a nice little collection to browse through and reflect upon. Some are funny, some are oohhh so true, and some just fun to look at. I won't overwhelm you with all of them at once, but in tasty little doses. Here's the first spoonful:

A "lol'er"

And another

Ok, yes, yes I will!

Amen. 

My work. No matter what, PRESS ON.

Incredible romance

Source: Uploaded by user via Kelsey on Pinterest

The Lovers of Valdaro...believed to be no older than twenty years of age when death occurred. Over 5,000 years old and locked in an eternal embrace. Tragically, their story is unknown. Ironically, they were found in the city of Mantua, Italy. The city Shakespeare chose to set the story of Romeo & Juliet.

Si.

“Those who truly love us will never knowingly ask us to be other than we are.”

Cannot wait to get a puppy in my life ;)

Source: tumblr.com via Erin on Pinterest

I have a feeling many would find these hideous:

But I think they'd look fabulous on my feet.

True words have been spoken..

‎"If you keep saying things are going to be bad, you have a chance of being a prophet."- Isaac B. Singer

Amen brotha...

DALAI LAMA’S 18 RULES FOR LIVING ›

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

 18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Don't forget the lyrics!

Da poor puppy!

Source: cheezburger.com via Emily on Pinterest

This is touching:

"When I was about twenty years old, I met an old pastor's wife who told me that when she was young and had her first child, she didn't believe in striking children, although spanking kids with a switch pulled from a tree was standard punishment at the time. "But one day when her son was four or five, he did something that she felt warranted a spanking--the first in his life. And she told him he would have to go outside and find a switch for her to hit him with. The boy was gone a long time. And when he came back in, he was crying. "He said to her, 'Mama, I couldn't find a switch, but here's a rock you can throw at me.' All of the sudden a mother understood how the situation felt from the child's point of view: that if my mother wants to hurt me, it makes no difference what she does it with; she might as well do it with a stone. "The mother took the boy onto her lap and they both cried. Then she laid the rock on a shelf in the kitchen to remind herself forever: never violence. Because violence begins in the nursery--one can raise children into violence." ~From a peace prize acceptance speech given by Astrid Lindgren, author of Pippi Longstocking

I've been guilty of the hunger piss pants before ;)

I found this to be very comical:

“That's the problem with drinking, I thought, as I poured myself a drink. If something bad happens you drink in an attempt to forget; if something good happens you drink in order to celebrate; and if nothing happens you drink to make something happen.” - CB

I just really love this song

And therefore, I shall name it my new karaoke "go to".



Long live the 80's!

My Cardies brought it HOME

In the end of August, the Cardinals were down 10 games to even make it to the post season games. Lets just say that they were expected to have a dismal season. Of course, the rants about the incompetency of Tony La Russa started, followed by Albert Pujol's over-inflated salary began.
The Cardinals team brought those moans and groans to cheers and chants as they became America's true Dream Team. The underdog in not only the WS game, but also they playoffs, they came out Top Dog.

Congratulations to the 2011 World Series Champs...the St. Louis Cardinals baby!

Created by a 19 year old Polytech design student

Simply stated, yet very powerful. To me, it represents that Steve Jobs will forever be at the core of Apple.

I think I might've posted this before, but I really love it.

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” -Steve Jobs

Daily obsession (of the day)

Admittedly, the video is dark and seemingly taken straight from RiRi and Eminem; however, the actual song and Adele's voice pretty much makes that A-O-K.

Last year, I ran into my old Miami roommate at a restaurant opening in New York City. I hadn't seen her in years and was so shocked to run into her! In part because she is from Toronto, I am from Missouri, and we both were just floating around Miami, when we unexpectedly reunited in midtown Manhattan.
Throughout those years I had lost touch with her, she married an amazing artist, Peter Tunney. PT had his opening party last night in Tribeca and it was a smashing hit! His work is unique and I love it. Here's one that captured me:

Just when you thought we'd learn from our overspending ways...

We learn that the President of Rwanda, who is in town for the UN meeting, has decided to stay in a $16,000.00 per night hotel. The irony of that? The average household income in his country is $1,106.00 per annum. 
#GrossAbsurdity

A quite serious comment on Weather.com regarding Irene

johntaylor19

"Be safe don't take this storm for granite .....let's just relax n let god do god."

No, I'll take it for marble. Thank you. 

What was supposed to be a Brooklyn venture night...

Turned into a night of free cocktails in the West Village, followed by lounging under the (nonexistent) stars at Dream Hotel. Not a bad choice. 

Loving

My HP Touchpad! Sleekly competent.

Darling little magnet

Thoughts?

I was introduced to this video yesterday and I do agree with some of its staple statements. I'm not sure, however, that deflation is good for the economy ultimately, but they bring some valid points. Check it:

What represents you?

Me? I like to think a flower that bloomed in December ;)

Another 4th of July in MO...

Did not let me down. I just love going home to spend holidays with some of the most spectacular people in the world!

The Zoo Crew II

Blaine and Mason

One tired baby!

Perfect day

4th of July at the Moons

Real music

Lets give these guys a listen:

Born to run, baby run like a stream down a mountainside

Pay attention to your surroundings

Call me easily entertained, but I find the simple parts of living in NYC to be the most entertaining. I ran a couple errands this morning, all of which were within a 10 block radius, and encountered:

1)  A newer pair of men's dress shoes with a flower delivery receipt just chilling on the sidewalk. It's astounding how little phases we city-dwellers! I was the only one who looked twice, then decided to snap a photo to share with you.

I'm having a hard time connecting these two. 

2)  A woman was trying on hats at at a street setup and asked the vendor if the hats were all 'one size fits all'. He responded without skipping a beat, "Well, they are all one size, but that doesn't mean they fit all."

How's that for an honest answer? So funny. 

Ok, ok....

I hopped on the Tony Robbins bandwagon. 


"When you're fighting something beyond your control, remember that the bamboo which bends is stronger than the oak which resists."
- Japanese proverb (reminded of a la Tony Robbins)

Bob Marley says, "No Woman, No Cry"

I say, "No Woman, No Smile". Great tune though.

A SIMPLE GOODIE FOR THE DAY:

"Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often. "
- Mark Twain

You know that saying....

"Give me a reason, not a choice."?

Some people should really give that further thought. Who responds well to ultimatums? Not me.

Just sayin'.

This came on my iTunes shuffle

And it's such a goodie. And we all know, I have a gypsy soul.

White denium rockin' Rockettes

Get a load of this!

Check out this hotel in wine country of Portugal. Retractable ceiling over your bed so that you can stargaze? Yes please.

http://www.l-andvineyards.com/en/

Just in case you wanted to know too much about me

I did a little digging on my astro-analysis chart and was amused at how accurate it is.  Here's a tidbit on what my chart said:

December 18 1983
1:00 PM Time Zone is CST
Cape Girardeau, MO

Rising Sign is in 19 Degrees Aries
You are a free spirit and you must be first at everything you do. Very energetic, self-assertive and active, things must be done your way. Even though you may feel calm and serene on the inside, you certainly do not act that way. You want to do everything full-tilt, 100 miles per hour! A great competitor, but a poor cooperator -- you must learn how to lose more gracefully. Very self-confident, ambitious and passionate, you radiate positive energy. You are blunt and direct, but at times unfeeling and tactless, especially if anyone offers you any resistance. You fight for your beliefs, but your tendency to act first and think later often causes you much grief.

Sun is in 26 Degrees Sagittarius.
Very fun-loving, spirited and energetic, you have a huge reservoir of physical energy within you that needs to be released. As such, exercise or sports are very important to you. Quite gregarious, you enjoy being with other people, but you tend to avoid emotionally restrictive or intimate relationships. Constantly curious about the broader issues of life, you may at times be quite careless and sloppy about details -- you tend to leap to conclusions before all the facts are in. An avid reader, you are totally enthusiastic about any given subject should it interest you. You are known for being idealistic, generous, sociable, cheerful and very positive!

Moon is in 09 Degrees Gemini.
Restless in the extreme, you are easily bored because of your short attention span. Your emotions change rapidly and you love to talk about your feelings. Generally, you have good judgment -- your intellect controls your emotions and you do not overreact emotionally to things. A good jack-of-all-trades, you have many- sided interests and enjoy reasoning things through. With your mental agility and need for physical mobility, you are attracted to traveling and learning about other peoples and cultures. You have vivid powers of emotional self-expression - - you can be a nonstop talker. You love to share your ideas with anyone who will listen. 


Venus is in 14 Degrees Scorpio.
Your feelings about others are deep, powerful, intense and complex. When you like someone, you do so totally and obsessively if you do not like someone, they do not exist. Your faithfulness and loyalty to your lover is unquestioned, indeed at times it is too much so -- you get so possessive that you almost smother your partner. At times, your feelings are kept deep within you and, because they are so complex and intense, they frighten you -- this is the way that you try to ignore them. But the more you try to do this, the more explosive things get when you eventually do express them. 


Jupiter is in 22 Degrees Sagittarius.
You have a very strong sense of ethics and morality. You are widely read and may also be widely traveled because you are sincerely interested in expanding your knowledge of the world about you. At times, you have an annoying tendency to be self-righteous and preachy about your belief system. You are usually quite idealistic and you demand the right to be able to explore the entire world of experiences yourself. Remember to grant others the similar right -- be tolerant, not dogmatic. 


Saturn is in 12 Degrees Scorpio.
You tend to release emotional energies only very reluctantly. This is partly due to your fear of what horrible calamity might occur should they be released -- your emotions are terribly complicated and intense. Try not to repress these energies entirely, however, or you will succumb to negative and destructive forms of compulsive behavior. Give yourself the freedom to look awkward or silly once in a while. The relief you feel will be quite therapeutic and the embarrassment (whether it is real or imagined) will pass quickly. 


N. Node is in 15 Degrees Gemini.
You will consciously seek out many different contacts with others throughout your life. Many of these will be of very short duration, not necessarily because you're fickle, but just because you always seem to be more excited by the prospect of meeting someone new rather than prolonging your present relationships. At any rate, you will learn something new from almost everyone you come across -- intellectual stimulation is what you crave from others. You will be well known to neighbors and relatives, partly due to your curiosity about what they're doing -- you delight in keeping up-to-date about the latest news (and gossip). 

Bye Bye Blondie!

After a couple months of hardcore debate, I pulled this trigger yesterday. Being a blondie was fun and I thoroughly enjoyed the run, but the return of rocking my brunette locks was a good idea. I find it flattering and I feel fresh. 


Ill post some before and after manana! In the meantime...

The Animal Kingdom is truly incredible.

Fantastic video of a man's encounter with a mischievous octopus!



Very cool music too.

Vueve Clicquot Polo Match

Check out this photo. Pretty neat how the tents make the treetops resemble wine glasses. Artistical. 

Mark Twain was a wise, wise man.

That may be in part because he's a Missourian. But, there's also a slight chance I may be partial. 

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

Best of the best

There is a lot of good in the world. But here in MAMsWorld, I'm on a hunt for the best. Best of anything. If it's the best, I want to see it. Here's a contender for best motivational quote to branch out, be something else, stray from the norm, and having the courage to dare to be different.

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do." 
-Jack Kerouac

The SWEETEST commercial..ever

#feelgoodmoments

While Listening to "Knock Knock Knocking of Heaven's Door"....

I stumbled upon a little piece of Heaven while on my AM run on the East River....That is if Heaven is anywhere near New York...and anywhere near the East side.

Courtesy of Timmy

Love is like a butterfly. The more you run after it, the more it will elude you, but if you still your mind and focus on other things, it will fly right back to you ;-) Unknown

MY FAVE FEEL GOOD SONG

Very funny!

From Wikipedia on the definition of 'Hominid Development':


 "...the only adaptation which has allowed a species to establish complete domination over the rest of the natural world. Whether the human species has yet acquired sufficient intelligence to manage this responsibility is a matter of debate."

MISSOURI LOVE

JOPLIN, MO TORNADO

When tragedies such as this strike, the shadow of it lingers far after its gone. We should all do what we can to help these people get their lives back. There are several local charities that will see that your donations go directly to the cause. God is always listening too, so please pray for them.

Helpful link:
http://uwheartmo.org/

Where in the WORLD is Mindy Miller?

Let's all be perdy.

Even though my blog reads “and this is why”, here’s some “this is how” for ya.  My friends that know me well, know that I am rather inventive when it comes to beauty tricks. I don’t know, it just comes to me! Along the road of beauty blunders, I’m going to share with you my quirky list of discoveries that have helped me find aesthetic satisfaction. Take a deep breath! Here is goes:

1.)                 Ever have a pesky acne prone area or your face (like blackheads or clogged pores on in the T-zone)? Do this. Steam your face over a sink of hot water for a couple minutes to open up the pores. Next, gently purge your pores using a tissue on your fingers to prevent oils from being pushed down into facial pores (not recommended if you have long nails). Then, clean the area with rubbing alcohol and apply hydrogen peroxide as a toner. WARNING, don’t do this the night before a big event or date. The hydrogen peroxide sometimes brings out the muck that’s even further down, bringing up some whiteheads. This is a good thing. The pores are being zapped of congested pores, which makes them appear smaller! Always finish off with a thick yet light moisturizer.

In addition, use hydrogen peroxide as a toner on your skin 3-4 times a week after showering to keep your pores lookin’ nice. Also, if you have an infected pimple you’ve been picking at, stop picking at it and douse it in hydrogen peroxide. The pimple will not win. And again, always moisturize!

2.)                 This one is not recommended for daily use, but it sure is a good one. Have something big going on and want your skin to have supermodel status? Well, you know that Sally Hansen flawless legs spray (bought at Duane Reade or Walgreens)? It makes you look as if you have panty hose on. Use it on your face as makeup. First, cover your hair, hold the can about 10” from your face, and airbrush. Its awesome. Everyday use is too brutal on the pores because the spray really adheres to the skin. But every now and then, yes. Just use a good exfoliater when you take it off. You’ll love this one!

3.)                 Bio-Oil. $14.95 for about 7 oz. is not cheap, but use it under your eyes and on pigmentation problem spots every night. Its super hydrating and wont clog your pores as baby oil would. I foresee this will be a staple in my regime for life. Love it.  Its supposed to also be great for stretch marks and scars but I haven’t been using it long enough to give you feedback on the results. I’ll keep you posted.

4.)                  Not to brag, but I often am told how soft my skin is. Ok, that’s bragging. But it is! This one comes from my momma. Everyday, when you get out of the shower, only “dab” off with a towel. Careful to leave some dampness on your body. Next, massage baby oil in all over. Its magical for the skin!

5.)                 You know that, “I just left the beach hair” look? It’s so sexy! I discovered it because nearly all texturizers I bought weighed down my fine hair….my fine hair that was in need of some texture. What’s a girl to do? After a day at the beach, I loved the way my hair felt and stayed in place. It had to have been the salt! So, get an empty spray bottle, some sea salt, and plain ole’ tap water. I use about 2 tablespoons of salt and 12 oz of water. Spray in wet hair and air or blow dry. F’ing genius. 

A verse from a well known country song...

be a best friend
tell the truth
and over use i love you
and go to work
do your best
don't out smart your common sense
never let your praying knees get lazy
and love like crazy

Its a Midwest thang, yaaa'll

Upon opening my Yahoo Home page this morning, I ran across an article citing the 11 Most Dangerous Cities in America. Surprised I was not, that St. Louis earned the top mark. I mean when I lived there, I lived and worked downtown. I borrowed my dad’s Dodge Ram pick-up truck for a week shortly after moving there so that I could haul some furniture. As I was walking to the company parking lot at 4:45PM with a co-worker, he asked, “Where’s your dad’s truck?”

I was shocked. Where in hell was the truck? We went back to the office and went back through some security surveillance tapes of the parking lot, and I’ll be…there was a man that walked up to the truck, confirmed it was all locked up, had the door open in less than a minute, and had it started within 5. No rookie I assume.

The spooky part is that this all went down about 15 minutes before I walked out. What if I’d left earlier when he was mid-steal? Eek, probably best not to think of that. They did find Dad’s vehicle a couple days later in downtown STL’s northern neighbor, a hood named “North City”. It was on fire and stripped of all its parts. The parts my dad so adored. You know, like dual exhaust and chrome everything. Of course this wasn’t exactly surprising either because what do they do in north city? They make a living by running black markets (black markets filled with stolen goodies), roam the streets in packs; daring someone to make a wrong move, and what bad neighborhood is complete without an active drug trade?!

It was interesting to see that the #9 spot was taken by Kansas City, MO. I mean essentially Missouri has an abundance of rural space, lots of lakes, a plethora of sports bars, Imo’s Pizza,  a few major universities, and only two major cities. Its major cities made this list. And you thought Midwesterners were sweet and innocent. Ha!

PASSAGE JUST SUMS IT UP FOR ME....DAILY READ

"Life is short. So break all the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret something that once made you smile." 

Don't you love how this encompasses so much with so little words? I would not be going out on a limb to say that I haven't lived my life unafraid to explore the road less traveled and being a rule breaker has been instilled in me since toddler'hood. I'd also say that I am quick to forgive. I might have to attribute that to being a Sagittarius though. We Sagi's simply don't have the patience to brew in vengeance (we will get mad when our feelings are hurt or neglected, but it’s short-lived as we think of all the things that are more fun to think about). Hmmm, slow kisser? Depends on the situation. I do love truly, but not without barriers…probably one to work on. I love to laugh uncontrollably and it needs to happen more often. Last, I’ll need to work on not having regret for something that once made me smile. I will say I don’t dwell on things I wish didn’t exist even though they once made me happy. I just wish I could make a few revisions to that experience!

In closing, here’s a good one I came across yesterday. For me, this is encouraging:

“Don’t be afraid to give up something good, and go for something great.”

I love all things that are great! Obviously I love great quotes. 

Find it funny how since I posted my blurb displaying my dislike of UGG boots, the ad space on my page is none else than for....wait for it....UGGS.

SUPERBOWL XLV

This was my first Superbowl attendance and I can't think of a better place than Cowboy Stadium in Dallas for that to happen. The stadium is UNBELIEVABLE. This is no ordinary place. Every detail is spectacular. Its modern arches on the outside only give a sample of the grandiose’ness of inside. Then again, everything is bigger in Texas.

 Amongst meeting up with my LA friend KG, who did an amazing job of engineering the sound for Black Eyed Peas, I also saw my good ‘ole pal Martin.

In addition to witnessing a Packer win, I also saw one of the most amazing halftime shows ever. They gave everyone in the crowd of 106,000 peeps a glow stick to wave. You could feel the energy of show and the fans…enough to give me goosebumps!

Another awesome weekend….check. 

                      OUR RIDE TO THE GAME

                                                     COWBOY STADIUM!

                          FUN WITH GLOWSTICKS!