I love this woman!  She is someone that I think would make an awesome friend.  Every time I see her I am just filled with happiness (along with the woman I’m going to post about next week [if I remember}.  Her new movie is called Big Miracle and I am looking forward to seeing it.  I know protecting animals is a big of her life, and it’s nice to see that translated into film.

 

Daisies are like sunshine to the ground.
Drew Barrymore

I pray to be like the ocean, with soft currents, maybe waves at times. More and more, I want the consistency rather than the highs and the lows.
Drew Barrymore

I really want to understand the mind so I can be more comfortable with the way people are. Being comfortable with people is incredibly important.
Drew Barrymore

If you’re going to be alive and on this planet, you have to, like, suck the marrow out of every day and get the most out of it.
Drew Barrymore

Life is very interesting… in the end, some of your greatest pains, become your greatest strengths.
Drew Barrymore

There’s something liberating about not pretending. Dare to embarrass yourself. Risk.
Drew Barrymore

There’s a hunger and a fervor that I have, but there’s no person I’m going to push to the side to get where I’m going. I want to create my own road.
Drew Barrymore

When I lay my head on the pillow at night I can say I was a decent person today. That’s when I feel beautiful.
Drew Barrymore

When you’ve been locked up in a mental institution, people are going to ask questions. It was OK, because I didn’t have to act perfect all the time.
Drew Barrymore

You’ve just got to do the best that you can.
Drew Barrymore

Anyone who knows me and the story of my life would see that these quotes are like a look right into my mind.  She and I apparently have incredibly similar worldviews.  Drew is a person I look up to for inspiration.

As a most beautiful Covergirl

A fully body laugh!

Bright colors and a big smile!

Looking pretty with a film reel

(Images from WeHeartIt)

Who aligns most with your view on the world??  I’m not saying Drew Barrymore is the one align with most, but she’s definitely right up there!  Do you have any favorite movies of hers?  Tell, tell!

 xoxo,

Annie

I LOVE tea. I love coffee too, don’t get me wrong…but it’s different than my relationship with tea. It’s almost a religious ritual for me.  I heat the water, collect some loose tea, and let it have a leisurely soak until it becomes infused with flavor.  Life is too short for mediocre tea.  Remember that.

When I drink tea, I contemplate the universe.  This liquid manages to make me realize that I am in the now, and that  no other moment truly exists.  I feel the same way about high quality chocolate as well, but I’m trying to drink more tea in the hopes of not over-sugaring my body.  With each sip more creativity pulses through my veins, and my eyes come into focus.  Sadly, I suffer from chronic illnesses, which really interferes with my typical enjoyment (imagine how good tea would make me feel if I was healthy!).  All the tasks that previously seemed overwhelming, are now able to be somewhat tackled.  It’s right up there in the few good things that are helpful for one’s mental health.

Due to my overwhelming love, I will deliver a short, ridiculous poem:

In the morning

late at night

you’re always there

to make things right.

 

Bagged or loose

black or green

to sip brings clarity

and lets life be seen

 

Steaming hot

Steeping with glee

you warm my hands

and set me free

 

Oh darling tea

I can clearly see

that you know me

and how I breathe

~ by moi haha

I really do.

(Images from WeHeartIt)

How do you feel about this magical beverage?  What are your favorite companies and flavors?  I think my favorite is one called Organic Detox from David’sTea, but I still have many brands and flavors to try!

xoxo,

Annie

• Being woken up when I am sleeping and then going to the couch (which I refuse to do anymore unless I’m super awake!)
• Not being able to make a living from art and writing.  It’s really the only thing I ever want to do.
• The fact that some of my pants are getting WAY too tight (thanks meds and shrinking dryers).
• I’ve been feeling very edgy lately (probably because of a med change, but who knows).
• So many dreams in my head, so few ways of managing to get them to come true :/
• I’m debating starting another blog, but it seems like a lot of work to keep up with that many things on the Internet!
• I need to surround myself with people who inspire my creativity so that I can try to produce something that someone would buy or want to give me a job!
• Jon wasting money on protein (though he claims it’s an investment).
• Having to completely re-learn several things that come naturally to many people, due to complications of my illness.
• I want to write a bunch of blog posts tonight but the pillows are making me nod off…
• Waking up with my mouth entirely sealed shut out of medication dryness

Jon and I should do photo shoots like this. HOT!

I’m always sick, so I always want a grilled cheese haha

Good ol’ funny paranoia courtesy of XKCD

What do you need to improve this week?  How are your new year’s resolutions coming along?  Have you dropped all of them?  I have managed to keep up drinking lots of tea, so I’m pleased!  Let me know how things are working out for you – I love hearing from my readers <3.

xoxo,

Annie

• Ripping out pages from my magazines for collages.  I don’t have any more room in my magazine chest, so some of them have to go!  I keep so many articles.  I’m obsessed with magazines.
• Jon’s work colleague made a cider and gave us a few bottles! Super good.
• All of the ‘Sugar’ websites: Savvy, Pet, Fashion, Beauty, etc…
• Sleeping in!
• When Internet orders come to the mailbox and not Purolator! (Currently the other way around…)
• Getting doctor appointments out of the way!
• Home design blogs.  Really just any blogs in general.  I find them so inspiring…(probably why I write one).
• Coming up with outfit ideas.
• Spending my time just jumping from one Wikipedia article to the next.
• Tumblr/Pinterest (I still like Tumblr more, but the category option on Pinterest is superior – I can’t decide which is better).
• I’m going to watch Voices From The Shadows soon with my mother!  For all of you who want to know more about the real lives of people with ME/CFS – you NEED to pay the $2.99 and watch this film - http://mubi.com/films/voices-from-the-shadows
• Making imaginary baskets full of Sephora goodies and then deleting them because I can’t afford it.

It’s cats making text faces. What’s not to like!?!

A beautiful sentiment that really should resonate with everyone, especially the chronically ill!

Camera Obscura!  A great band you should check out!

(Images from WeHeartIt)

So what are you grateful for this week?  What has made it different from the other weeks?  Share some of your joy with me!

xoxo,

Annie

I’m sick of experiencing my body fall apart day by day.

They should really just magically cure everyone immediately.  I would like that to be an option, please k thanks.

It’s causing too many problems, and as much as I like how much I have been learning about myself, they don’t quite equal out.

I wanted to write something that had depth to it today, but it turns out that thought is ruling all in my brain.

I hope you all are feeling reasonably well.

xoxo,

Annie

I have a problem that is breaking my heart and there is no easy solution.

As a result, I’m distracting myself by giving myself a fright while watching Ghost Adventures.

I stumbled upon this show when we got a free preview of The Travel Channel on cable.  A lot of my days are spent by myself, and spending too much time with my brain was not working out for me.  I caught this while sitting in the dark one night, and the place these guys visited had such a creepy back story!  I don’t know where to stand on whether or not ghosts exist, but I’m fascinated by dark history.

My psychiatrist works out of The Hillsborough Hospital, which is a creepy old mental hospital (still open for the same purpose).  The sadness is palpable in the air there and it never fails to give me the creeps even in the middle of the day.  I constantly feel like I’m going to be sick while I’m in the building.  It’s strange.  I really wouldn’t want to spend time in there overnight.

When I watch this, I can relate to the feelings that these guys feel, and the noises are CREEPY.  A lot of people can figure out ways to debunk most stuff, and it doesn’t fit in well with science, so a part of me believes, and a part of me tries to be rational.

Does anyone else watch any kind of paranormal show, or do you think it’s absolutely crazy?  Either way, I recommend it if you want an interesting, stupidly funny, scary time.

xoxo,

Annie

I was so happy to see her win all the Grammy’s!!!  Her voice is just as stunning after the surgery and her music lights a flame in my heart.  I haven’t been feeling so hot lately mentally, and I can just turn on her music and get lost in her passion.  So few artists convey that kind of passion in their music anymore (Joni Mitchell is another one of my faves).  Plus she’s so beautiful in her Vogue editorial!

SHE IS SO GORGEOUS!  It’s so refreshing seeing someone who isn’t a size zero in Vogue!

What artist do you feel conveys the most passion?

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY MY LOVES!!!

xoxo,

Annie

• A pretty hard case of depression is eating away at me.
• All the cruel and unnecessary comments on Twitter and Facebook about Whitney Houston’s death and people’s view on drug users.  So many people speak of things they know nothing about.
• Standing up for my beliefs and realizing that I am in the vast minority of opinion.
• My cat hooked his claw into my upper arm and it cut and bruised and me no likey.
• Needing to go through my Facebook/Twitter and cut some of it down, purely because I’m getting by the sheer amount of information being presented to me.
• One month til Florida! Come on time!
• The fact that I can’t work for a magazine. I wonder just how hard it would be to produce something of my own. Maybe I”ll have to start a second blog…
• Having to spend more time in dark, quiet rooms because noise and light are causing me so much stress!
• Someday I’m going to win a Polyvore contest, if it’s the last thing I do!
• I’ve been having a hard time reading and remembering…it drives me crazy because I’m all about research and education!!
• The fact that cleaning NEVER ENDS.

(Images from WeHeartIt)

What is stressing you out today?  Or have you reached complete zen?  Let me know if you have the secret, as I’d really like to get there

xoxo,

Annie

• Getting pretty magazines in the mail
• My mom helping organize everything and generally being the most awesome person ever.
• Ghost Adventures for those dark nights where I replace pain with feeling creepy…
• Lots of rest
• NYFW!
• Cat pictures…I am a crazy cat lady, I cannot lie.
• Egg in a cup – my mom makes it sooo good, and it’s been passed down through our family as the ‘must eat’ when sick food.  I love traditions like that.
• Saving money for Florida, even though it hasn’t been going as well as we’d like.
• Being able to relate to my friends on Twitter, even though I feel somewhat alone in my actual life.
• Polyvore. I’m addicted. Beyond addicted. It’s my favorite thing on the Internet.
• Being excited to be able to put together outfits again as my belly is healing up enough to put some pants on!

(Images from WeHeartIt)

What are you grateful for this week?

xoxo,

Annie

What I Need To Be Doing With My Time:

1. Learning more about Buddhism as it gives me a great sense of peace.
2. Making more art and polyvore sets as it is an amazing creative outlet.
3. Keeping up with my twitter friends!
4. Coming up with a list of more blogging topics.
5. Catching up on some television shows – like Downton Abbey!
6. Making sure to take time to clean up and go through my things and purge them – inspired by the fact that I’m watching Hoarders right now!
7. Learning to enjoy my time alone more.
8. Taking sleep any time it wants to show up! My body needs some serious healing!
9. Soon I’ll be soaking up some sun in Florida (and by soaking up some sun, I mean sitting in the shade so that I don’t get heat rash).
10. WRITING, WRITING, WRITING!

I’m going to Sea World!

(Images from WeHeartIt)

What are some of your daily rituals?  I know I have to add more tea drinking to mine for sure!

xoxo,

Annie