Fabulous Fridays: May 30 Edition

29 May 2014

Photograph by Macey

Happy Friday! Oy, what a week this has been. Even though it was cut short by the holiday on Monday, it has been intense training for my new job. I'm learning a ton and meeting lots of new people. Which means lots of new names to forget. And lots of opportunities for making a complete fool of myself.

I don't really need to go into full detail here, after all, I like to keep these Friday posts happy and bright, but I will say that I felt like a complete idiot on more than one occasion and that I'd really rather never have to introduce myself in front of a group of people again. It's really not fair that being nervous means that my hands (and often, my legs) shake uncontrollably, and that my mind goes really fuzzy. Also, apparently it is not cool to be a blogger. Oops. Thank goodness I have some sweet coworkers who feel my pain.

But anyway, back to the good stuff. Here are some of the things that have made this week fabulous:

Fox has really made me feel special this week. He is always excited to see me at the end of the day, and though I'm exhausted, I love playing frisbee with him on my living room floor, and getting some rather enthusiastic toddler hugs before bedtime.
On Sunday, I got together with my gal pals for brunch book club, and though only two of us had read the book (ok, so I still haven't finished the book), we enjoyed the delicious offerings at Screen Door. And then Macey took our headshots and it was fabulous.
One of my new coworkers told me she read my blog last night and said she could relate to my last post. That made me feel the warm fuzzies, and like I'm not sailing this ship alone. Plus, she's really cool.
I met up with two coworkers who are not on my team for drinks after work today, and it was great to hear how their training has been going, and how they feel about our training group. They're also really rad, and totally sweet.
On Monday, which feels forever ago, my friend Jenni invited me to a seafood boil at her place. I'd never been to one before, but I was happy to be invited and enjoy some delicious food with great company.
I've been rising early all week to get to work early for breakfast and I haven't been grumpy at all (note: I am NOT a morning person). I've actually enjoyed my slow mornings, and getting to chat with my new coworkers before we start working each day.

When I look at things that way, this week has been pretty wonderful. This weekend, I have every intention of hitting up the market and then conquering a mountain (third time's a charm, right?). In any case, I'm living life quite fully right now.

What has made your week fabulous? Have any mountains of your own to conquer this weekend? I'd love to hear from you!

Right Now

25 May 2014

Hey-oh. I'm back from a week of training/orientation in San Francisco, and I'm feeling all sorts of wonderful. Life is good in so many ways, so I figured I might as well write about it. You know, for commemoration purposes. To remind myself that good things can and do happen to me.

As I process this past week, and all that I encountered, I recognize that I have become quite a skeptic. An optimistic skeptic, if possible. I'm always hopeful that good things are on the way, and that things will always work out for the best, even if it wasn't what I thought I wanted. But there is, at the bottom of all of this, a part of me that questions intentions and realities. Things and people can look great on the surface, but often upon further inspection, things and people aren't quite as nice and shiny as they seem. I've gotten used to expecting the worst from things and people.

So, when I left for San Francisco, I was a little skeptical. I wondered if my job and the company were all they had been chalked up to be, and I also wondered how well I would do being surrounded by people nearly 24/7. I was seriously afraid I was going to hate all of my new coworkers. Clearly, I have low expectations for myself.

But, I ended up being pleasantly surprised last week. Almost all of my new coworkers are super rad people that I've enjoyed getting to know. And I can really only recall one bitchy moment, which came about because I was in serious need of a nap. And the company itself? Incroyable.

What I've learned from all of this is that I might not be the person that I think I am- but in a good way. And that who I am is malleable, that there are characteristics who make me who I am, but that I don't have to hang onto any one trait as being what makes me me. That sounds way confusing. What I mean to say is, maybe I just keep getting better.

Granted, I had moments last week where my insecurities popped up. I was surrounded by a ton of incredibly attractive people at the company's headquarters. Seriously, beautiful women and hot guys everywhere. Naturally, and I know I need to work on this, I started to feel a bit like I have in college and high school- like the frumpy, chubby girl I used to be. It's silly, I know, but pretty people intimidate me.

But, in the end, I am so happy to have had the experiences I've had this last week, and to have made some fantastic new friends. But what was even better was coming home, and having equally wonderful people to return home to. It started with being greeted by Fox, who was brandishing a red rose, and who joyously yelled, "Ray-Ray" when he saw me at the airport. Then I spent time with fellow bloggers and bookclubbers, and I reveled in my happiness. I have some truly quality people in my life right now. It feels really good to be here, right now.

How are you feeling right now?

Fabulous Fridays: May 16th Edition

15 May 2014

Hey-o! Happy Friday! This week has flown by- so much so that this is the first and only post I've managed to put out all week. Normally I might just ignore that and not elaborate as to why, since some bloggers complain when other bloggers apologize for not posting and give excuses as to why. But my excuse is good and exciting (to me at least).

You see, today is the last day of my current job. For the past nearly two years I've been working as a sales assistant at a TV station, and it has been a great experience. I couldn't have asked for a better boss, and better people to work with in general. I've worked hard and learned a lot, so I wasn't really looking for a new job...

But then I saw an opportunity for a job that could just well be a perfect fit for me (might turn out not to be, but so far, things have been lining up quite nicely). In fact, I saw this posting on Twitter of all places. You guys, if you're not on Twitter you are missing out- so far I have gotten a job and won tickets to an amazing (and normally expensive) foodie event. Twitter pays.

Well, needless to say, after a long and interesting hiring process, I was offered a job and I begin on Monday. But, I have to fly down to San Francisco on Sunday for a week of training, hence my lack of posting- I've been busy filling out background checks, making travel arrangements, and connecting with my fellow trainees/future coworkers. All of that, plus training my temp replacement at work has left me with little to no time for online anything.

Anyway, so that has been my awesome week, and now for a few other things that made this week fabulous:

I got plenty of Fox time this past week (another thing that keeps me from blogging- family first, blog second). On Saturday night, I babysat the kiddo while his parents went to the movies. We had our own movie night- it was a double feature: The Little Mermaid and Frozen. This kid loves a movie with a strong-willed female as the lead. On Sunday, he was dressed nice and dapper for Mother's Day and I took him out for a little stroll with Lucy (he loves taking her for walks). While out, some nice older women wished me a Happy Mother's Day- I felt it would have been rude to say I'm only just his aunt.

Speaking of Mother's Day, I treated my mom to brunch on Sunday morning. I knew just the place and made reservations in advance. I didn't tell her where I was taking her, though- I wanted it to be a surprise. We went to Imperial, which not only served excellent food, but treated all mother's to a gift certificate to use in the restaurant on another occasion. My mom was pleased as punch. So was I- that food was delicious, even if it gave me a food baby* and left me full for the rest of the day.

In other food news, I tried some new-to-me places on Saturday. First, I met Jenni for coffee at Case Study Coffee downtown and it was great! I loved the atmosphere there- reminded me a little of Europe (one Parisian bistro in particular). After coffee, I went and grabbed lunch from the Kargi Gogo food cart, which serves Georgian food. Meredith's blog had brought this place onto my radar and I had mentally bookmarked it for when I was in the area. You guys, I am sold on Georgian food. They have a vegetarian platter, which pretty much made me fall in love with them. My favorite was the cheese bread (hello), but I also loved the salad- whatever seasoning was on it is totally my jam.

On Mother's Day, the whole family converged at my parents' place for a cookout, since the weather was nice. We pulled out the bubbles and the nephews got to work right away. Apparently my brother's boys are into the pipe bubbles. Later on, for some (slightly) more grownup fun, we all rolled down to the park to let the boys burn off their excessive energy while us grown siblings played frisbee. You guys, frisbee is my happy place. Not a game of frisbee, just passing the frisbee around. It's the simple things.

I've also had some intense yoga classes this week, which has left me feeling refreshed and restored (and a bit sore). Anyone who thinks you can't get strong from yoga should come to class with me. Or just look at my (albeit slight) muscle tone. But the real strength that is built in yoga is all in the mind, and I work on that every damn time.

That's it for my week- I'm off to celebrate my last day at work, do a ton of laundry and getting ready for my week-long trip, and flying off on Sunday! You probably won't hear from me in this space next week, but if you follow me on Instagram, I'm sure I'll be filling your feed with some San Francisco goodness. I'm also trying out this Snapchat thing people are talking so much about, so if you're so inclined, you can find me there as well as rachsed.

Cheers! Tell me, what made your week fabulous? Do you have any coffee shops/restaurants/bars to recommend in San Francisco? Tell me all about it in the comments below!

*If you don't know what I mean by food baby, then maybe you're lucky. I'm referring to that post-binge bulge that occurs in the lower abdomen, making one look pregnant. With a food baby. True story: I once announced a food baby on Facebook and one of my friends thought I was actually pregnant. With a real baby. For the record: I've only ever been pregnant with food babies.

Portland Bloggers: Photography Workshop

08 May 2014

You may or may not know that I am the blog master for the Portland Bloggers blog. This past Sunday, Portland Bloggers hosted a photography workshop, so naturally I showed up to help out, and also participate in the workshop. I really enjoy playing with my camera, and love learning new things when it comes to photography. In particular, I wanted to learn more about shooting people, and Sunday was a great opportunity for that. Margaret Jacobsen led the group for learning to photograph people, and she was a lot of fun to work with. Did I mention she's an incredibly talented photographer? Below are some of the shots I captured during our breakout session on Sunday.

Caitlin of Caitlin Liz

Jenni of A Well Crafted Party

Margaret Jacobsen

I had a lot of fun at the workshop, and learned some good tips. Moreso, I'm inspired to pull out my camera more often and take more pictures.

Note: all of the above pictures were taken with a Canon Rebel t3i, 50mm/1.8 lens, and edited with A Beautiful Mess Photoshop Elements Nico action.

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Cultivating Self-Love: Style Icons

07 May 2014

One of the things I consider when thinking about my style is who my style icons are. I'm not talking about who fashion magazines tell me are definitive style icons, I'm talking about the women that I look to who reflect a style that I wish to emulate (or simply admire).

As a general rule of thumb, I"m not particularly into role models and icons and whatnot. I think that everyone should be their own person. I'd like to think I can be my own style icon.

When it comes to style, however, I think it's good to have a starting point, especially if you're unsure of where to start. Style is very personal and a reflection of one's personality. But sometimes, it's hard to define what exactly that personality looks like.

Enter: style icons.

For me, style icons are anyone that I look to for inspiration when it comes to style. It could be the way they do their hair, their makeup, the clothes they wear, or the accessories they use. There is often something about their aesthetic that stands out to me and that I can incorporate into my own look.

To give you some ideas, let me share with you some of my style icons:

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Jane Fonda, for starters. The first time I saw Barefoot in the Park, I fell in love with Fonda's look. There was something about it that was carefree and energetic, yet feminine and glamorous.

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Lauren Bacall. Look at that gorgeous hair. Bacall, for me, represents a smoldering femininity. She is glamorous in every way.

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Natalie Wood. I think my first exposure to Wood was Splendor in the Grass, which I watched several times as a teenager. Not only is Wood an incredible actress, but she has a great, fun style.

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Elizabeth Taylor. Famous for her violet eyes, many husbands, perfume, and a tempestuous personality. But you can't deny this woman had impeccable style that screams Classic Hollywood.

By choosing these women as some of my style icons (I have more, which I will bring up in another post- you'll see why), I can see my own personality reflected which helps me to make my own style choices. Clearly, I adore classic Hollywood glamour, with a bent toward the 1950s-60s.

Hollywood stars also have dogs.

How does my own style reflect my style icons? In part, through my accessories. If you've followed me very long, or follow me on Instagram, you'll have seen my infamous white Ray-Bans. I chose these sunnies four years ago for their classic Hollywood look and have loved the investment ever since. When I slip those babies on, I feel like a movie star.

Another thing I do is wear red lipstick. I don't wear it all the time, but when I do, I feel incredibly put-together, like Elizabeth Taylor.

Would ya look at that- retro dress, red lips, and infamous white sunnies!

If you were to open my closet, you would also find I am a huge fan of dresses, and I love a good sundress with a 1950s flare, or a good sheath like what Elizabeth Taylor might have worn.

One more way I incorporate the retro look is through polka dots. Polka dots are my print of choice, and I love wearing them- they make me feel a bit like Natalie Wood. I prefer to stick with black and white or blue and white polka dots, as I feel those match my aesthetic the best.

So you see, I use my style icons as jumping points for expressing my own style. When I'm out shopping, it helps to keep in mind who my icons are as a guide to keep my wardrobe within a similar aesthetic (so I can mix and match). I'll touch on my personal style and how I shop in a future post, but I wanted to relate how my style icons fit in.

It really helps me to know who my style icons are, and to accept that they might not be the same as someone else's. Again, our style is a reflection of our personality, and just as we each are different in our personalities, so should are icons be different (or the same- that's ok too). Just know who you are and what you like.

Who are some of your style icons? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Leave a Comment cultivating self love, style, style icons

Cultivating Self-Love: Style

05 May 2014

Can you believe it's May already? I don't know how it happened, but here we are. It's time to introduce the next theme in my Cultivating Self-Love series, and this month I have a fun one: style.

Perhaps you're thinking to yourself, "what does style have to do with cultivating self-love?" Let me tell you.

Style is an expression of oneself- the way you present yourself to the world. I believe we all have a style- some girls are jeans-and-t-shirt, others are dresses and high heels, and some are a mix of both. Personally, I have gone through phases where my practical style did not match the style I envisioned for myself.

My favorite dress in the whole, wide world.

As a little girl, I was all about the dresses. And swimsuits with winter hats (it's totally a thing). My very favorite dress was this red gingham dress that my mom sewed for me and I wore it far beyond was appropriate (basically until the hem was at my crotch). I loved (and still love) the freedom a dress bestows. As I got a little older, dresses also became a way to live my fantasy of living in another time period. I've always been fascinated by history, and my style was a way to play with that.

I'm thinking of bringing this look back.

Once my body began changing, about age 11, I became a jeans and t-shirt girl. I wanted to cover everything up and make sure no one could see my belly rolls or boobs. It was also really hard to find size 14 clothes that were stylish and age-appropriate, so Disney and youth group t-shirts were my cover up of choice.

Once I got a job in high school, I branched out a bit more with my style since I had a bunch of disposable income and could buy whatever I wanted (instead of what my parents could afford- I was one of four kids, after all). Old Navy had just opened up a store at our mall and I became a loyal customer. I started adding 3/4-length sleeve tees to my wardrobe (a daring move, I know). Oh, and since it was the end of the 90s, color was making a comeback and I was stoked.

Throughout college, I experimented a little, but remained a jeans and t-shirt girl. But I longed for the day I would graduate and join the working masses and be able to wear more lady-like clothing. I wore casual skirts to express my feminine side, but I longed for dresses and high heels.

Once I got my first grownup job in the States, I really started to play with my style. I've always loved clothes, and I love playing dress up, and I feel I've learned a thing or two (granted, I owe a lot to Stacy and Clinton of What Not to Wear fame). But I still have struggles with my style from time to time, especially when going through changes.

So this month I'm dedicating to loving my style. This means reflecting on what my style is, what I want it to be, and how I express it. It also means accepting that having style does not make me superficial (something I struggle with, and a big reason I haven't done any style posts here on the blog in the past).

Join me this month as I explore my style, and get a peek into a side of me that you might not have known existed. I'll be sharing a bit about style icons, my personal style, my beauty routine, and more! Feel free to let me know if there is anything you want me to share!

How do you feel about style? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Leave a Comment cultivating self love, style

Fabulous Fridays: It's May!

02 May 2014

Happy Friday, my friends, and TGIF! The sun has been shining here in Portland, but alas, that also means that my allergies have been the worst. But it also means I've been able to wear sundresses and flats, so I guess you win some and lose some.

Anyway, here are some of the things that have made my week awesome:

Saturday morning was another installment of Ladies Who Brunch Book Club, and we ate at Kerns Kitchen while discussing the hilarious Where'd You Go Bernadette.
Saturday night my sister and I had Italian Sunday a day early. I made homemade Marinara from the Everyday Italian cookbook, and it is my favorite. So delicious and lots of leftovers.
I've made it to yoga 3 times this week, and am going back tonight for some yin. I love my studio, and love how I feel after every class.
Tuesday night I had free tickets that I won on Twitter for Taste of the Nation Portland. I took my sister and we had a lot of fun eating tons of food and drinking wine and cocktails. The biggest highlight was discovering a new-to-us chocolatier (Batch PDX)- we went back for thirds, and I even took two chocolates for the road.
On Wednesday, I had happy hour with my mom at Broder Nord (for which I have already professed my love). I had their version of a sazerac and it was divine.
I finished reading Life After Life, and it was beautiful. One of the best reads of the year for sure.
Finally, I put in my notice at work, and it went well. I was nervous about it because my boss is awesome and it will be hard to leave, but I am super excited about what is next for me.

Now it's your turn! What has made your week awesome?

One Year

01 May 2014

Hi, friends! Today marks one year of blogging here at Tossing the Script. I can't believe how much my life has changed in the past year, and a good part of it is due to blogging. I've connected with people around the globe, made new friends here in Portland, and I've learned a lot through sharing bits and pieces of my life.

To look back on my first year of blogging in this space, I'd like to share with you my favorite posts I've written since this blog's inception:

A Dedication

My Favorite Picture

On Sensitivity, Introversion, and Perfectionism

Friendship and Frances Ha

Jealousy and Envy

My Body: A Manifesto