Hey. It's been awhile.
There has been a lot of changes going around. Some major. Some not so much. But I figured I would give you an update about how the year is going since we somehow the year is halfway gone. At the beginning of the year I made this list of INTENTIONS (like everyone else and their mom did) and well....
Life Happened.
Not that it feels like I've done much in the grand scope of things (I probably have). But that's okay. Nothing ever really plans out the way you think they would. Life is this beautiful adventure of windy roads and breathtaking moments. And instead of being discouraged, I feel motivated to accomplish more of what I intended to get done this year. Even a small step forward is a step in a good direction.
This will be a very wordy post. I'm sprinkling in some rando pictures to keep those visual-only people interested. But, it's my life and my journey so far this year. Anyways. You have been warned.
MOVE TO PORTLAND
This is one of the sadder things that I have had to come to terms with. Not that Portland is off the board by any means. Just not this year. It's probably the better decision, but it doesn't make the situation any less disappointing. HOWEVER, I will be moving out of my parent's home this fall, so that will be exciting and I am beyond eager for the next chapter in my life.
DEVOTE MORE TIME TO MORNINGS
Seriously morning people, how in the world do you do this? You early birds need to teach me your ways and tell me your secrets. Sleep is just too sweet. Although I do have to give myself some credit. I have figured out an efficient, 5 minute basic beauty routine that gets me out the door relatively on time. AND my road rage has been kept to a minimum since the beginning of this year. So, there's a plus.
GET BACK INTO PHOTOGRAPHY
Finally something that I actually have been actively working on. If you have been reading this lately, you will notice that in my LAST POST I have required a Fujifilm Instax Wide 300. And I have been using it a bit lately. If you ask anyone, they will tell you that instant film is super fun because 1. for its nostalgia and 2. the instant satisfaction without going digital. But for me, it makes me be more aware of what I'm photographing. There's only one shot and one moment, then it's gone, never to happen in the exact same way again. I guess it's more of a commentary of how I want to be living life. To be more purposeful and deliberate. That every action I make or word I say has an effect and a weight to it. There's responsibility in that.
Woah. Deep.
Anyways. This weekend, the boyfriend and I will be heading to Acadia National Park. I'm hoping to wipe off the dust from my 35mm and old (like really old, haven't touched it since sophmore year of college old) DSLR and put them to work. So that's fun. I'm thinking about getting a new digital set up later this year, but we'll see.
START LEARNING FRENCH
Yeah. This one I haven't even touched. I've used Duolingo in the past and all I know is how to say "le chat noir" and "je mange une orange" (nailed it). However, my best friend is moving to Paris for a year or two. So that's kinda french related. Kinda bummed about it because she'll be so far away, but I am super stoked for her and this new opportunity. Oh and another french related thing. I recently watched "The Steak Revolution" on Netflix (it's ace, you should watch it) and that's mostly french. Maybe I'll continue to watch french documentaries and just soak in the language (I know that's not how it works). Any one have any tips on how to learn a new language? Get at me!
SPEAK LESS, DO MORE
Alright we're weighing out the good with the bad as we go through this list! I added this to my MMXVI Intentions list because I felt like I was all talk without having anything to back it up. The laundry list of things I wanted to do kept piling up without getting any of it done. It was that type of scenario at the end of MMXV. So this year, I got out more. I went on more hikes and chased a few waterfalls. I started making more. Instead of leaving these ideas as figments of my imagination, I have created a few things that I can't wait to share with you when they're all done.
I could say that it is also because of this bullet point that you haven't really heard much from me. But that would only be partially true. I'll try to at least do weekly updates to the Fieldnotes from here on out.
SHOP SMALL OR SUSTAINABLE ONLY
In my effort to be more deliberate in all aspects of my life, I added this to my list. If I'm being honest, I haven't been shopping small/sustainable/ethical 100%. I currently am debating on these two tops from H&M I bought last week in a last minute buy. I'm trying to weigh out if they would pass the WEAR30 RULE (I'll probably be returning them). The only other things that I have purchased this year were a pair of UNEEK sandals by KEEN, sage toner and an exfoliating mask from Fat & the Moon, a dress from ASOS that is made from vintage fabric, another dress from Skargorn that's made in LA, organic cotton underwear from H&M's Conscious Collection, and pre-ordered my first pair of rigid denim. Which sounds like a lot, but for someone who used to spend too much on throwaway junk, it's refreshing that most of my purchases this year has been responsible shopping.
HIKE A BIT OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL
Although it wasn't as much as I wanted to. I guess I can technically cross this off my list. On the way back from a hike at Dingman's Ferry with my brother, we stopped by this little overlook in Bangor that we had to hike about 2 miles of the AT to get to.
VISIT ACADIA NATIONAL PARK
The boyfriend and I are leaving tomorrow! We are so stoked for this adventure.
CLIFF DIVE OFF PEACE ROCK
Summer isn't anywhere close to being over. I'm already making plans to cross this off the list.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
I'm not really sure how to measure this. I guess I can say that I have had more positive and good vibes this year. Being thankful for at least three things daily. Finding joy in every moment and stillness in the chaos. I'm taking care of my body and mind with yoga and healthy eating.
READ DAILY
Well lately I've been doing better with this one. Whether it's reading fellow blogs or slowly knocking off books from the READING LIST, I'm reading almost every day. I added another one of my favorites to the list: The Neverending Story. It's definitely helping me get back into the habit.
I'm looking forward to the next half of the year. I can feel it in my bones that there will be great big changes ahead.