hello world

I've been avoiding doing some real work today and was playing around with my blog. I've been meaning to update blog lists and changing some gadgets around. I was looking around on the dashboard, which I've never really spent much time on, and I clicked on the "stats" tab. I started looking at who visits my blog and where they are from and things like that. I cannot believe how much information is on there and I never knew it! I've had people from all over the world looking at my blog! Obviously most of the hits were from the US but the next biggest country was Denmark. Venezuela and Malaysia were on there too. I guess I never thought of how many people I can reach from my computer.

Hello world!

just a little update

Since the year if half over I thought it is time to give you all an update on my New Year's Resolutions. Since I don't feel like finding the previous post and linking you to it here, I will just remind you of what my resolutions were.

1: Be heathier--This one as always starts out really strong and I get all "gung-ho" about it. But as always I end up getting lazy one day and ruining the entire routine and it takes a few weeks to get back into it. This summer has been especially hard on my workout schedule because I've had quite a few decent sunburns which makes it hard to sleep let alone go running. However, I am currently in the midst of planning a trip to Hawaii with two of the greatest people in the world, Whitney and Lee. Hopefully that will motivate me to really get into shape. It more than likely won't happen until after our tickets have been bought and the reservations have been made. I always need a deadline hanging over my head to get anything done.

2: Finally kick my Diet Coke habit--When I made this resolution I didn't really know what it meant. Was I going to just cut back or cut it out completely? I didn't want to have any until I decided and about 3 weeks into the year I finally commited. I have not hap a single sip of Diet Coke, or any soda, in 6 whole months! Its so crazy considering how addicted I was. I thought so many times about just giving up because it was so hard but I am so glad that I didn't. I did open up a bottle of my mom's Diet Coke and just smelled it a couple of times which made the cravings a little easier to handle (as ridiculous as that might sound). Maybe I should apply that to eating healthier haha

3: Be braver--This one isn't as clear cut as the other two. I don't really know if I have been braver this year or not. I can't remember a single time in the last 6 months where I have thought to myself, "Say 'yes' because you normally would say 'no'". I don't know if I have been given opportunites to be braver or if I just haven't recognized those opportunites. It's probably the latter. So I have decided in the time that remains this year I am going to look for opportunites to be braver instead of waiting for them to appear in front of me. That's the best way to live your life right? Proactively? I will let you know how it turns out on January 1!

white wash

Recently I have become pretty obsessed with the color white. I never really thought much about it before but I look around and there is white everywhere and I LOVE it. I think it is my new favorite color!

I love my fluffy white towels in my bathroom

My white bedding makes me happy

My white bookshelf is my favorite piece of furniture I have ever owned

I own so many white tank tops. I think I buy a new one everytime I go shopping

I re-upholstered my new chair seat with some pretty white fabric

I always buy white accessories for my room

I absolutely LOVE.LOVE.LOVE Matt White

My ringtone is "Falling in Love with My Best Friend" by Matt White

And my absolute favorite new thing that's white: My new computer!

(And I may have named it Matt--don't judge)

"i've been looking for inspiration on your facebook wall"

I had a fantastic weekend but I am definitely making up for it now. After a trip to Logan on Saturday and a boating adventure on Sunday I am as red as can be but it was worth it!

On a similar note--here is a little piece of happiness. Thank you Matt White!

dance 'til your dead

I have been dancing since I can't even remember. When I was 8 I finally convinced my mom that I should be taking lessons. She signed me up for a summer of classes and I was totally hooked. I couldn't get enough. I had been taking lessons on and off for 12 years after that until I was in college and I pinched a nerve in my back. I've been injured from dancing before but that was definitely the worst. It took months for the pain to go away and I'm still not one hundred percent back to where I was but it's much better.

Dance became my life and I still love anything dance related. My absolute favorite thing I own is my handcarved wood statue of a ballerina (picture to come). I own way too many dance movies including all 3 Step Ups and my favorite--Center Stage, and I try and see Thriller every single year. I usually leave so happy and wanting to cry all at the same time because I miss dancing with a team.

Even though I don't take lessons anymore I still dance pretty much everyday. I have gotten into the habbit of practicing turns in the kitchen when I am cooking dinner (the tile floor is perfect for it). Most of the time I don't even realize I'm doing it. But at the end of the day I like to put on my music and practice my technique or run through and old routine. It always makes me feel better. Even when I'm so upset that I don't want to do anything, I make myself get up and do "across the floors" and I instantly feel better.

I have always dreamed of having my own studio. Nothing fancy, just a mirrored wall and a barre where I could practice for nothing in particular. When my parents put down a lamenate floor in the dining room of our old house I was praying they would let me use it as a studio but it didn't happen. Maybe one day my dream will come true but for now I will make due with what I have. Nothing can keep me from dancing...

Laura Schmitt Photography