FixSkin: Keloid Treatment Update

Confession: I stopped using this stuff consistently for about 2-3 weeks, and I really wish I hadn't. Bad lapse in my self-discipline, but we'll lead with that and I'll tell you what it is I'm talking about:

I have keloids. It's not life-threatening, so don't worry (if you were), and they're not contagious, either (just so ya know). Keloids by medical definition are the result of my body over-producing granulation tissue and collagen. To me, that means my body is an outta-control super-healer that has no concept of moderation.

But seriously. Keloids aren't fun. I'm one of what I'm finding to be a larger-than-expected number of people who "suffer" from them. I put that in quotes because I wouldn't dare say suffer in the same context as someone whose ailment is literally life-threatening. This isn't one of those things, and I won't pretend it is, at least not for me. Every case is different. Fortunately, mine have been somewhat limited and if I'm intentional about controlling them, I can.

SO this is (was) me:

"was," meaning this was me in october 2017
"is," meaning i'm still here ;)

october 2017

My keloids are contained mostly to the upper region of my chest and shoulders. Depending on how many keloids you've seen or had, these may look bad or they might look like no big deal. Having lived with them, I'll tell you that those are both accurate. A couple of them hurt. It's not unusual for them to itch, or feel like pin pricks (usually at convenient times like 3am). I've been through a number of treatment options in the last 16+ years, and only a handful of them worked - minimally, at that. In that time, I've been teased, stared at.. and believe it or not, have had more than a few encounters with random people who think it okay to just touch one while asking, "what is that?" (I know....). My point? I've had these suckers for my entire late adolescent and adult life. It's uncomfortable, on several levels: physically, mentally, socially at times... still.

I made a new friend through the power of online community (in a scar forum, specifically), who recommended I check out FixSkin.

FixSkin is a naturopathic product that uses essential oils to their full potential by combining them against the bacteria that spurs keloid growth. I was skeptical about this at first, but it was $60 that I would've just spent on something else, so I figured I didn't have too much to lose. I ordered online, they delivered, and there we were:

they come as a pair

The bottle on the left is the toner. This goes on first; it opens the pores and primes the area for the serum to do its work. I found that after a few uses, I could feel the toner immediately after putting it on. It's not the most pleasant sensation, but it's far from unbearable.

The serum then goes on after that. The instructions tell you to use your fingers for application; I opt for Qtips but whatever works. For the first month, I was really good about 2x daily, without question or miss. I noticed a huge difference within just the first few weeks. Look, I'm not paid to say this stuff, but I will tell you that it works.

I got away from it during November and December; I did a lot of traveling, wasn't diligent about using it twice a day, and on a couple of getaways forgot to take the stuff with me all together. Right around Christmas, I got back on track, and I've been doing both steps regularly, twice a day.

Week 1: This scar was very solid, hard to the touch and sensitive. This particular one is just smaller than a dime. 

Week 3: I noticed a subtle difference in the area around the scar. The edges started blurring and seemed to be pushing inward, meaning that the bulk of the scar is (slowly) dissolving. 

January 2018: I took these today. The lighting was a little different today, but I can tell a noticeable difference in the shape, size and protrusion. It's hard to capture the dimensional view of these scars, but this one is flattening, as well as fading, bit by bit. 

^ Ok. So this one at first glance is a little harder to gauge, but I posted it to highlight the fact that this stuff works, as long as you USE it, and don't otherwise mess with your scars. 

Week 1: Solid, very raised, sore. 

Week 3: flattened a surprising amount. 

January 2018: I'll be the first to say it looks like week 3 should've come after today's picture, in terms of progress.. maybe it's just me but it looks that way in the picture. However, today's picture came after a day of messing with the scar, throughout a stressful day at work (which also doesn't help). It is a little inflamed in today's picture. But again, it has been consistently flattening, with the edges blurring more and more. The bottom scar is barely visible most days, compared to the one above it. I'll try and update another day of this one, to show the true progress. 

I also post that to remind anyone out there dealing with keloid treatment that there will be plenty of days that might make it seem like your regimen isn't working. Be patient, and make sure you're also making any necessary adjustments to your diet to go along with the topical treatments. It's taken much experimentation on my end over the years, and I am always open to suggestions. 

For now, I'm thankful for what progress I do have, and hopefully I'll have even better news in a few months. 

Hang in there, Keloid Kids. You're beautiful. 

xo | cms 

Refreshed

Every so often, there comes a day when my skin feels especially like my own, and I feel an added amount of gratitude for it. Today was one of those days. I'm not really sure what it was, other than that God knows the things I need, when I need them.

24 jan 2017

I was in the middle of a midday decompression (aka, lunch hour), and caught myself in the mirror of a dressing room for what felt like the first time at all today. The vertical mirror lights reflected off my eyes and for a split second, it registered that I looked very cat-like. I laughed and took a selfie, because that's what you do in those situations, right?

It wasn't until almost 6 hours later that I finally posted the thing, and the response I got was a quick but real reminder of how the encouragement I needed would come from a handful of strong, empowering women that I have the privilage to know in both real life and through their social media feeds. Another friend from years gone by also surfaced - one who, as part of an even smaller collection of people, stood by me through some of my weirdest years in college, as I grappled with my identity as an adopted Asian-American. It's not to say that I don't feel good on other days, but even with compliments and positivity trickling back in, I felt as humbled as ever by the notion that a simple selfie could prompt others to speak words of light and positivity.

That's what it is, really. It's the constant flow of negative energy that has clouded my social media feeds. It's the uncertainty for our future that weighs on our shoulders - some more visibly than others. It's the division that we see broadcasted across the country, and the fear that we try our best to swallow or ignore, that we are as a country, heading towards complete and absolute self-implosion. It's those thousands of voices that creep into my head when I least expect them to, and I start to lose sight of my own course and the one true voice of reason that really matters.

I went to the gym with this newly-recovered momentum of confidence, and was approached by another person to share the circuit I was doing. I gladly did so, since it had been shared once with me. Another encouraging moment. I finished an exhausting workout and headed home to a protein bar, dinner and my Bible:

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. ::2 Timothy 1:7::

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. ::1 Thessalonians 5:11::

I know this entry is a bit all-over, but as I've said a dozen times before - I love ya'll, but these entries are as equally for my own reference at any given point tomorrow or next year, when I need to be reminded of where my feet and heart stood at any particular time.

And today I feel refreshed. A little lighter in body, heart, soul and mind. A little stronger. A little better than I was yesterday, and a little more confident that I am empowered to be empowering. My hope is that each of you beautiful people out there can find the same peace, and then share it in your own world.

Good Night!
xo | cms

Calming My Heart: The Instagram Way

Something inside me started digging today. It's a culmination of my life at work [which has seen smoother days] and the anticipation of the trip I'm taking in a few short weeks. My mind was restless this morning, unable to focus and stay grounded. I felt like my thoughts were disconnected, scattered and agitated.

It wasn't until I stopped everything and went to Google. I was thankful today for the readily-available plethora of soothing, hipster-printed quotes, verses and adages, aesthetically designed for people going through a moment just like mine this morning. I'm not usually a sucker for posting pre-made artsy renditions of these things, but today it was what my heart needed to re-locate its pace and get me off of the spiritual arrhythmia I was experiencing.

Let me break this down:

When my flustered, bumbling fingers hit the keyboard in search of some small ounce of peace, this is the first thing that popped up:

Oh. Well, okay then.
Deep breaths.. in... and out. Repeat. Now focus, read, download, absorb.

Much of my immediately recent anxiety has been the product of my job. Before I go any further, let me be clear that I absolutely love what I do. I feel that I've been called to do this work, at least for now, and have no intentions of changing gears in that regard. However, just like most jobs, there are patches of turbulence, and it's safe to say that my team and I are in the midst of one of those now. It has been a steady bubble of activity that I have let cloud my resolve and on some days, allow seeds of resentment and bitterness to fester. Try as I may, there are days when my head and heart are exhausted by it all, and I am left to face an 8-hour day without the joy and passion that I know really exist in my work.

^ That showed up on my screen, and the first emotional response I had was guilt.

Guilt. 

I'm not perfect, ya'll. I struggle with forgiveness, maybe not in a long-term capacity, but oftentimes the ability to forgive someone for something within the immediate period of time following what I've deemed an offense... just doesn't exist. I grapple with this a lot, and today I had a heart check that pushed me straight into a prayer. A desperate prayer for forgiveness, and to give forgiveness. I know that when I forgive others, I forgive myself. It's not up to me to decide who is and isn't worthy of truly being forgiven, but it is my responsibility to let go and LET GOD.

^Ok, ok.. I know.. That one's really cliche, I know. BUT, it's true. I had to recalibrate big time this morning. I had to remember that while it seems as though I'm just on repeat most days [while I'm in the moment, at least], the bigger picture has always been, is and will continue to be a reflection of culminating works, actions, responses and growth. It's not just another day, even though this morning was a prime example of me approaching it that way. I was actively pushing back against the stresses of my morning with a malicious spirit, rather than breathing in the fact that I'd done nothing to earn this entirely brand new day I'd been given. I don't have a religion. I have a relationship with the God I love, so what am I so stinkin' concerned about?!

And then I boiled down to the next thing causing ripples. This trip to Panama.
But it's a missions trip, Cori... Why is that a bad thing?!

Well, it's not [a bad thing]. It's not at all. What it is though, is something that takes me out of my comfort zone. It's one of those things in life that presents us with a wide range of response options: fear, resistance, placidity, tolerance, acceptance, embracing..... or any combination of those.

It's funny how something new can elicit a whole bunch of emotional responses that we didn't see coming, and oftentimes [as in my case today] don't even recognize until we're knee [or kneck..] deep in them.

I am always amazed at just how quickly my attitude and energy changes when I intentionally channel my focus into a simple but deliberate chain of positive and encouraging thought. As I processed through each of these things separately this morning, I felt my mood and general approach to it all starting to lighten. I felt more relaxed, less anxious. I felt more patient, less agitated. I felt more receptive to whatever the day [& people in it] had for me, and less dreading of those same things.

I could physically feel my heart slowing. I felt my hands convert from clenched fingers to palms with light fingers. I realized that I was forcefully smashing together the small and big pictures of my life as it currently sits, as opposed to allowing the two to compliment each other and cross paths when it was due. I am preparing for an international mission trip, but I also have a daily mission here at home.. and they're not that different when you strip away the travel, preparation and itinerary: Love God, Love People.. Show Light & Show Hope. I am built [we all are!] to do those things.. so...

^ Send me. Send my soul, my heart & my mind. Locally and internationally. Here I am. Send me.

Just so you know, the rest of my day didn't just magically poof into a smooth sail after my mini meltdown and re-calibration this morning. The events of the last several months and whatever people involved didn't just fall down at my feet to cater to my vision of a well-oiled operation. The grind of activity that is standard daily didn't change. There were a couple of 10-15 minute spans dotted throughout the day that actually highlighted the stresses of what we do. They were there to challenge my resolve. To strengthen my endurance, and teach me a thing or two about patience and grace. No, my day didn't warp into a fairy tale. What changed was my attitude.

I am daily reminded to let go, and let God. Worry doesn't provide any benefit to our bodies or minds, let alone to our souls. It's not fair to sit and stress about what is coming. I'm not saying I don't want to be prepared to handle whatever it is that's coming; I'm not saying that at all. I hope I've not conveyed advocacy of cavalier, reckless and without direction approach to life or circumstance, because that's not what I'm encouraging. What I am saying is that we should work daily, in whatever small ways we can to prepare our hearts and minds so that when life does hand us those things, we can react with grace, endurance and love.

And for myself and any of you out there who find yourselves at the bottom of the barrel in whatever it is, here's this:

Saying that it's never too late actually isn't true. When we're dead, then it's too late, yes. However until then, why do we allow ourselves to believe that change isn't possible? It takes a full commitment, yes, but it's possible. It is possible to reconstruct whatever part of us has been broken. The key is making sure we separate our broken pieces from what it was that broke us in the first place, and be intentional not to use both in the reconstruction.

Whew. Thanks for bearing with me, if you did actually manage all the way through my little mini-sermon. This, as most if not all of my blog entries, was written more for myself than anyone else, but if you were encouraged at all by it, then I am happy all over again. I'll leave it in the universe, with the rest of these entries for the taking :).

That being said, every solid sermon ends with a call to action.

Self, here's yours. Quit sitting around in whatever rut of self-pity has taken over you in whatever situation you're working through. Life is not guaranteed, and every decision you make produces a consequence, be it good or bad.

So..

1. STOP what you're doing & just... BE STILL. 

2. GIVE THANKS & ask for what you need through PRAYER. 

3. GET UP and DO SOMETHING about it :) 

Love, gratitude & honor to you all, blogbots!

xo | cmd

Pocketfuel : My Instagram Inspiration

I'm a proud, prolific Instagrammer, and one of the many things I love about it are they endless ways in which I can find inspiration.

First, there's all the yogis: Laura Sykora, Rachel Brathen, Gabriella Dondero. The list goes on and on.

Then, there's all the nutritional boosters: healthy foodie pages, exercise guru's, fitness apparel lines offering up encouragement.

The list goes on and on and on. A lot of what I follow includes animals, health nuts and things that remind me of my country-strong roots.

My spiritual development is of course something that takes place outside of the interweb, but it definitely doesn't hurt to find niblets of encouragement in the posts of some Instasources.

Hello, Pocketfuel.
[Go, go now and follow them!]

I won't go into a lot of detail, but I will suffice to say that these are some of my favorite posts from Pocketfuel; there are so many more worth sharing, but it'd be easiest for you to go and find them on your own.

[[[[Mare, you'll recognize some of these! ;) ]]]]

I don't know if any of those will appeal to you in any specific way today, but I know there are plenty of days when I need to see something simple like that; even the smallest reminder that I am sent out for a purpose, from one who delegates me with a task, yet never with a burden I cannot carry. 

It's the small things. Who knew I'd ever be so grateful for an Instagram account? ;) 

BLESSINGS we have in this life... and BLESSINGS we should share.

xo | cmd 

HELLO, OCTOBER!

Yes, I realize that by loving these, I am, by certain standards branding myself as a 'basic White girl.'

Here's the thing: I'm all about Instagrammed Autumn-esque pictures. Bring on the filters, even though really, they're not always needed.. not when it comes to October.

Here's 3 of the 3bajillion that are floating around out there [thank you, Google!]

hello 

october

welcome! 

 YES, I am absoLUTELY excited that it's October! Am I anticipating the cold weather and crappy driving conditions that inevitably follow? No, of course not.. but for now.... we're here in the midst of changing leaves and pumpkin everything [I digress.....] and bonfires and BEANIES. 

[[[Be reminded.. it's BEANIE season.]]]

Anyway, happy October!

Here's how we celebrated: 

sand in our toes @ hahana beach! | cincinnati, oh 

It's starting to get a little chilly out there - this season will be drawing to a close soon and we'll be finding new ways to occupy our winter days.

Brrrr.. Get ready for Autumn!

xo | cmd

Naked Silver Linings[On My] Bad Day

Ummm.. what?

Today wasn't a great day. I suppose that's all relative, though, right?

RIGHT.

I didn't feel like telling myself that today, even by the time the day had boiled down to just over an hour left at the office. It was just one of those days, ya know? It wasn't a catastrophe, no, but it wasn't a smooth little sail, either.

I learned a little practice from a great friend of mine some odd years ago in college. It's not always easy to do, but I've honed in on my own technique over the years and in most scenarios, can execute perfectly.

It's simple: In the midst of a trying situation, disappointment, frustration or otherwise unpleasant moment, I force my mind to remove itself from the present for even just one or two minutes, and focus, wholly, on two things:

1. I am not God, but I am His, and He will never give me
more than I can handle with Him.

 

.. and

 

2. There is someone out there facing something far worse, far more intense and
faaaar more urgent than what I am facing now.

 

When I first started trying this out, it seemed stupid to do at times, because obviously the world isn't ending because I'm having a bad day, but that doesn't change the fact that I am in fact having an awful day. It just takes time, discipline and an open mind to realize that it's true.

 

Take a deep breath, Cori.

There's an icon from the world of yoga who I follow on Instagram. Her name is Rachel; she's a world-traveller who leads workshops, uplifts everyone she finds and somehow manages to find the beauty in the core of darkness.

 

Until recently. I, along with the multitude of her followers, read a post of hers a week or so back that detailed disaster in her world: Her apendix ruptured in an airport, sending her into a 7-hour surgery at a hospital in another country. She awoke to surgical scars marking the new absence of her appendix and people telling her that in addition to this, her best friend had passed away in a car accident.

 

Are you having a bad day?

Read:

 

 

The reason I called this entry Naked is because I have read and re-read her entries, absorbing the pain she is facing. I have lost friends unexpectedly, but to have your life's passion [yoga] taken from you momentarily as well as you struggle to cope with a loss of that magnitude must be paralyzing. Whether I would admit it or not, I think I do find some level of comfort in seeing someone be so candid and raw in expressing the honesty and emotion that must happen before healing can begin. All of Rachel's posts up to this point are packed with a type of realistic inspiration and encouragement; I'm praying now that she will find her own in the comfort of her friends, her family and the warm memories of her best friend.

 

And so I look at my day, and I look at hers.
I see mine, filled to the brim with inconveniences, backtracking, miscommunication and a dreary weather pattern to boot.

And then I see hers, balancing endurance with reverence on the edge of a void freshly-created by the unexpected death of her best friend, and the three scars reminding her that yoga will still have to wait.

 

My day tomorrow may or may not be an improvement of today, but it is not like that.

So I'll stop whining about my first-world problems and start approaching them with the grace and patience I'm supposed to.

 

I thought about this all the way home, and by the time I walked through the door I was itching to channel it into something productive. Since the sky had been the same dull, placid color for the entire day, I opted to add some color, with a dash of salt & pepper.

homemade soup!

Some may have read this and now wonder if I'm as far detached from reality as it kind of sounds, but I promise you I'm not. I fully understand the gravity of bad situations and the like, but I'm actively choosing to weigh the pros before the cons. We are after all partially defined by the ways in which we react to circumstance.

 

So...

.... how's that for a heavy entry on a Wednesday? Hah (:

 

Life. Is. Good.
We. Are. Blessed.

 

xo | cmd

See Ya Next Year, FACEBOOK

In the least first-worldy way I can find to say this, I took a step today and removed Facebook from my palette of available social media. I've always moderately wondered why some of my friends have bid it adieu and whether it's a statement of something or just a realization that Facebook & the rest of our social media outlets don't have to rule us.

I'll be the first to say I go through roller coaster spurts of Facebook usage. Sometimes I'm on it every day, others I won't do a thing on it for weeks. Today I decided to just cut it out for a little while. I did this originally in a moment of irritation over something unrelated to FB, but hey, it's not like I just sawed off one of my arms. It's Facebook, for pity's sake, not a limb or organ.

So yeah. Blogging it is for now, along with some Instagram if I really feel spunky over the next few weeks. Call it something of a social experiment on my part, too. I wonder what I'll miss over the next 3 weeks that I won't find out about until the new year when I've figured I'll stop boycotting. Whoooo knows....

farewell for now!

Anyway, now that I've wasted three paragraphs on the fundamentals of Facebook account deactivation, today was otherwise a day that I'll happily dismiss. Just. One of those days, ya know? I've had worse, oh yes, but today and I really just didn't me
et eye to eye and I think we're both ready for about a week's worth of space [ehhh? eehhhhh??? See what I did th-... nevermind].

Tonight = More Christmas present creation. I'm happy to report that I finished all EIGHT sets of coasters I planned to finish before the time came to gift them. I also knocked out a couple of other gift sets, and am aiming at the end of next week for some finality to the whole shebang. Woo!

AND, in the midst of my fickle mood and situational idiocracy of today, I must remind myself that this is about to be the BEST [fingers crossed] ending to a year that I've had in a LONG time. There are some very big things and changes quickly approaching that, while requiring copious amounts of preparation and work, will be new, exciting and the product of thorough planning. Once everything finds its stone mark, I'll share more... for now, I'm just idling in that pre-elation phase of prayer, gratitude and continued configuration of all the little details.

*Sigh. Tomorrow's FRIIIIIIIDAY, and buddy, I can't freakin' wait.
Maybe I'll post that status on Facebo- ... oh wait. (:

xo | cmd

Birthday Shout Out{s}

It's my friend Clark's 29th birthday today.
That cracks me up, because we've been friends since middle school and honestly were uncertain either of us would survive our hometown long enough to make something of ourselves. [That's a joke....] We did, and as I look back over the years and to where this guy is now, I'm glad to say that he's a friend of mine and I wish him all the continued success there is to offer!

Happy birthday, Sheff!!! I'll see you in the 29 club here in 10 days!

2003 v. 2012
happy birthday, clark!

Speaking of birthdays, I forgot to mention that we had a miniature belated celebration for Nikki yesterday, complete with donuts and coffee.. ya know, the way real office birthdays are supposed to be done. Haha. I laugh because I still have a healthy metabolism and exercise regiment.... if I keep this crap up for another 10 years though, it might be a different story.. ;)


busken & coffee. holy heart-attack.

And... cue workout. (:
Sydni and I are taking a quick break from dancing around the living room, so I think we'll get our exercise in tonight.

Happy belated birthday, Nikki, & Happy TODAY birthday, Clark!

xo | cmd


NAMASTE

It's been a little while since I found a gray hair on my head. I'm not complaining; honestly, I'm completely open to the black mambas transforming into their silver state, but perhaps just not yet. I so rarely spot one, but I did today, and wasn't really that surprised.

The past couple of days have been a little... challenging... to put it lightly. It's not a product of daily elements [which can certainly trigger elevated stress levels; let's be honest], but a targeted source - the same source - that's been a generator of duress for me. I'm discontent with the fact that I struggle so much to control my anxiety levels when it comes to this, but I am happy to report that I'm working on it and have been improving.

Of course, that doesn't mean there won't be setbacks. I call them emotional relapses.
I've recently started exploring the world of yoga, and might I just say that it is not the class I took once at UC, in which I literally fell asleep. On my mat. In the middle of the class.

Nope. This is the real deal, folks. Yoga junkies everywhere just rolled their eyes and called me a newb... I'm cool with that. I discovered Rachel Brathen, a homeless woman turned yoga-extraordinaire [thanks, Elisa!] This chick is hardcore when it comes to yoga; I'm all about strength training and I think she's got this yoga thing down pretty good. Find her on Instagram; some of her best videos are there [I think, at least!]

Beast mode. I will get there. It might take me a little while, but I'll get there.
Challenge accepted.

Meanwhile, the office workouts are going well, too. This will be the first full week of these; I'm interested to compare how I feel now with how I'll feel at this time three weeks from now, after continuing this every day. It's an accompanying element to cardio and regular circuit training, but it's only Tuesday and I can already tell a small difference.

Woo!
Here's some more RB for motivation:

namaste! | rachel brathen

Breathe in... breathe out... (:

xo | cmd

And Just Like That... [Daughtry&3DoorsDown]

Today started off as a pretty standard work day. We hired a new gal and she's settling in at lightning speed - not to mention she is going to fit in with us crazies just fine (: ... and the day itself wasn't too much of a headache. I solidified plans with my parents for Sydni's swim lessons, which led to trading off an extra night with her dad to balance out the time she'll be gone over the next couple of weeks/weekends.

I hadn't planned on doing anything spectacular with my now blanked-out evening, aside from possibly cleaning the house in the absence of the little munchkin.... coincidentally Trish texted me not even 20 minutes after I finalized tonight's arrangement for Sydni, asking if I wanted to join her and a few others at the 3 Doors Down / Daughtry concert at Riverbend. I'm neither a prolific fan nor opponent of either band, but I figured, "why not?" and decided to join up for a random outing.

myself. andrea. trish. amanda | riverbend pnc pavilion | cinci, oh

Another first for me: PNC Pavilion. The more I think about it, the more I'm positive I've been in there for something before tonight, but it's the smaller and far less noticeable stage on the Riverbend grounds, and the perfect covered place for what would have otherwise been a very soppy experience with all the rain.

3 Doors Down plays a lot in Cincinnati; I think I've seen them at least 3-4 times at random series concerts, collective tour stops, whatever they were.. so when we left halfway through their headling set, none of us were really all that disappointed. Daughtry on the other hand, put on a pretty decent show, for my first time seeing them. Like I said, I never really got into either band, but the tickets were free, the weather was perfect, light crowd, and the company was great. What else can you ask for on an otherwise solo evening? (:

Photo-documentation, as always... :::

daughtry

headliners

Oh, and let's talk about the last picture of the evening, that I posted to Instagram as usual, and realized later that the guitarist from the band had found it. Now I feel guilty about not being a mega-fan of 3 Doors Down. Hahha..


pretty trish! (: | ig love from chris henderson

Overall not a bad night! I'm home now and way past ready to hit the hay. Tomorrow's work & volleyball.. let's pray this rain can hold off!

xo | cmd

2013 is Halfway Over?!

Firssssssssssst....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HILARY!!!

♥ you hillsy!

This girl.... haha. I love her and I hope she has a fantastic birthday. Hills, you've earned nothing but the best for your birthday and I hope you and little Julian [okay, so maybe he's not so little anymore] had an amazing time today. Say hello to another girl I've known since middle school, fought with like sisters in high school, and made up after that to get back to being friends (:


ouch. ouch. ouch. :(

And now we're all grown up. Happy birthday, beautiful friend! I promise I'll make it back to Mt.V and see you, soon soon soon.

As for me, well, this has been another day of rest and relaxation, and a few chores... and a bajillion mosquito bites. If I've learned anything around here, it's that this is a safe haven for those little critters and in the process of line-drying my laundry, they pulled a sneak ambush and got the best of me.

Mosquitos - 1. My poor legs - Zilch.

So.... that was fun...

I spent the rest of today tidying up the house, installing the rest of the shelves to the units in the living room, arranging all of my arts/crafts stuff into a manageable, searchable system, and just reveling in the beauty of the day. There was even a little visitor on my mailbox that I paused to photograph, since I don't see many of him around these days... 

hi!

Yep. A paced and relaxing yet productive Sunday. I even managed to squeeze in a short jog before the weather reared its mane for a thunderstorm. I'm settling in now on the couch with every intention on not lifting a finger for what's left of today. It's going to be a short week with a hectic weekend, so I'm absorbing this downtime while I can (:

See you tomorrow for the week!

xo | cmd

Plugging In

First, I wanted to start off the day with some color:

hello! (:

I don't often go for the bright pops of color quite like this, but I thought it was fun, and coupled with the chair in my office, I couldn't resist. Spring is here and I was definitely feelin' it today.

I have been on a very gradual transition back into Cincinnati. In the past three weeks that I've been back, I've already had two mini trips back to Illinois, and have been making myself sparse around here, for the immediate time being.

Today I checked two more things off my Return to the 'Nati checklist: link up with a gym and decide how I want to continue with my banking. Well, for the sake of being a 'Nati-an, I'm going to stay local:


fitworks & wright-patt credit union | norwood, oh

Yeah, I took the plunge. I've been wanting to get back into some circuit training for a couple of months now, but with everything that's been going on, I never had time. Then I remembered that I have to make time if I want to see any sort of result [duh], so there ya have it. I'm invested. Haha. Tomorrow I'll jump in with a personal trainer and see just how out of shape I really am these days.

Back in Northside, I paused to take pictures of some of the simple, quirky beauty its residents have to offer. I don't necessarily consider myself a truly ecclectic person, but I always enjoy the manifestation of the more expressive faculties. 

pretty little northside (:

Fun. It may seem tacky to some people, but while I don' tknow that I'd paint a garden onto my car, it's fun to see random things like this speckling the neighborhoods across Northside.

Tonight I found myself back in the company of two of my favorite friends from Cincinnati. It's been a long time since I spent any time with them, but on a random fluke I found myself sitting through the last half of the Pacers-Heat game and half of an AnimalPlanet Mermaid documentary with Lu & Kyle [aka Goldy & Chester]. Lu's adorable girlfriend Ashley and Kyle's brother Chad were there, too. I've missed them, and it didn't hurt my mood to see some old familiar faces.


ky. lu. cori | circa2007

[Has it really been that long?! :( ]
Funny. The edge of transitioning back is starting to wear down some; I will finally move into my new digs effective this weekend, so once that's completed, I'm hoping to wake up feeling a little more "here" than I do now. I've got a great job, great friends who've supported me [literally supported me] through the process, a boyfriend who still puts up with me two states away [love. him.], and of course, the center of my world: the 3-year-old who certainly knows more about US currency than I did when I was 3... ;) ["Look! Waaaashington!!"] Haha.

I'm back in Northside and ready to put Monday to rest. I can't help but feel that slight emptiness that you get when you know you're missing someone but have no choice to power through it. He knows, though, and I know that it'll be okay. I'm just being a baby about it. Becky gets back tomorrow, so I'll have to catch up with her and see how the big Apple treated her on her first trip.

Random idea: Say something nice to a stranger tomorrow, and mean it. (:

G'Nite, friends.

xo | cmd