amy rocks, okay?

You've no doubt been privy to this video already, but I'm putting it here to share with you now and to keep in the chest of awesome for all time. I had a really rad explanation of this video and what it means to me, to you, to marketing and business. We're all aware of why it's so wonderful for the same reasons Love Actually is one of the greatest movies of all time. Because it makes you feel! And gives you hope! And inspires you to remember that life CAN be that wonderful, full of crazy love, be it friendship or soul mates, and it's only us that stand in the way! Golly, I love this stuff. For the sake of time, I'm going to barf out the resonating inspiration I took from this gem from WestJet Creative/Marketing team (you know, after the obvious happy tears, laughter and "gotta watch that one more time cuz I'm a hopeless romantic" phase) - I HAVE TO GET BACK IN THE GAME. This is my place! I love this stuff! I am so ready to be at that table crea...

It's Christmas. The holiday season. And so many wonderful things are happening and worth celebrating, toasting, laughing and cherishing. For example, this year we welcomed a new sister in law into our family who is now blessing us with ANOTHER new member to our family. Joy abound! My life alone has gone through some drastic changes in the last 12 months and I couldn't be more happy with where I am in the grand scheme of things. My home town took every state title they competed for this fall. A dear friend performed in a choir all on her lonesome. A best friend brought their first child into the world and after a rough birth, the family is happy and healthy enjoying the sandy beaches in Hawaii. Another landed a great job in Bend allowing their family to move to a place they've always dreamed of being. I could go on and on. So what is it, the healthy balance (?), with all the pain? Here we sit on the edge of the season of cheer, and I find so many wonderful, and I mean WO...

Be the YOU that you are meant to be. You owe it to yourself. Go. 

Aaradhna, a New Zealand vocalist, won a handful of awards in Kiwi land and was in Portland at the NPR studios recently when this was recorded. I immediately was drawn because of her origin but then, the lyrics of this simple, beautiful song, just stole my heart. *enjoy*

Adam Brown sent me this tantalizing number. I've shown it to practically everyone who will give me the time of day to see it because the message is so wonderfully powerful and speaks to people in their own way! There's nothing like a little perspective now and again and one that only offers up the information and allows you to digest it however you see fit, is my kind of inspiration. I'm in love! I also need to create more.

Nothing like I just pulling the rug out from under your own two feet. 

A New Perspective For Moms from Elevation Church on Vimeo .

... the worst kind of loneliness in the world is the isolation that comes from being misunderstood. It can make people lose their grasp on reality.

I just thought of searching for Buddhist speeches on TED Talks. Mind blown. Heart aflutter. Perfect medicine for the soul at this moment. Only enough time for one tonight, but here's a taste of the goodness that lies in TED Talks library.   http://www.ted.com/talks/joan_halifax.html

So, I'm luckily going to get to be back in the retail management side of things and I am a basket of emotions. So completely energized about the endless opportunities available yet completely petrified I will fail or be a disappointment. Obviously these are normal reactions to a new job, but these consume my mind daily! Partially because I can't get it out of my head that those passions and fears will be a part of my wandering mind for quite some time. I suppose, the only way to get around that overwhelming despair is to tackle them head on. Which I am doing. Partially. I have been reading endless articles on topics like what makes a strong leader and how to be an effective manager. I mean, I'm not starting tomorrow with a team of 10 employees, but I am obsessed with being an awesome leader/captain, and if I am standing at the gates down that path, I want to come prepared. One thing I read that discouraged me and is the reason for writing this post, is that just becau...

I just pushed purchase on a set of two tickets to New Zealand. For two hundred bucks. That'll never happen again! Last time I purchased tickets with a NZ destination it cost me more than $2,000 and that was..... 5 years ago? Hot damn. Lucky. In every way. I learned that I am a girl that doesn't have the "let me spend your money for you gene". David gave me his credit card info a few days ago to buy the tickets and I have been sitting here for 3 days unable to punch the numbers in. It took him getting on the phone tonight and repeating that it was okay for me to go through with it, before I could hit "purchase". What am I even saying? Have you jabbed your eyes out yet? There is just something about spending someone else's money that just... HURTS. I can't do it! Guilt and more guilt. It's not fair? They put the time in to earn that, out of their day that could have been spent doing other things and I don't care if they work to pay for fun la...

No Tasmanian Devil spottings on this trip but we did see one of these little guys! A Quoll. A skitterish little creature we spotted jetting across the road in the evening causing two Americans to squeal/yell with excitement because HAVE YOU EVER EVEN HEARD ABOUT ONE OF THESE?! "White with black spots!" "No! Black with white spots!" Thankfully it gave us something to talk about the rest of the drive and even though we have smart phones and could have settled the issue, it was much more fun to debate. I think this story will be best told with pictures. And the occasional video. Mostly because I'm exhausted and have a few other important things on the mind :) HERE WE GO! Clockwise was the theme here. Starting down in Hobart and working our way around and back down again!  A couple weeks ahead of the trip we were spending our nights reading all the Lonely Planets that litter our bookshelves and set about finding what exactly we wanted to see in...

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is costly, care for it. Life is wealth, share it. Life is love, enjoy it. Life is a mystery, know it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, embrace it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life! Fight for it! (Found on a wall in Mother Teresa's convent in Calcutta)

In the beginning I set out to find a Bible study group and kept coming up empty handed. I even checked out on of the main churches in the city but to no avail. In time it fell off my priority list (shame, shame) but has since worked its way back up. Especially in this moment. But, yet again, I'm unable to find a group to join, or any type of group that exists at all! I am sad at this. Where are the people who gather once a week to read and reflect and relish in the community of others who would like to develop themselves holistically, religiously. I miss it. I miss it bad. I had just begun to find a place in Berk town when I was leaving and now, as well as for many other reasons, I wish I wouldn't have left. In time I'll find it again I suppose. But right now, all I want is to read my Bible or other assigned readings and reflect. Onward!

What happened to me? I used to wake up with an idea in my head to open an ice cream store in Helena and went to bed with the rights for a Coldstone franchise in my hand. Okay, so it took longer than one day but I didn’t sit there waiting for someone else to make the move. I just went for it and wrote the emails myself, made the phone calls figuratively reaching down where a man should and going for it. Graphic. A little. I’m sorry. I just can’t figure out where my “balls” went!? I’m sitting on the cuff of something potentially exciting with a company and a new client and instead of just going all in and turning it from potential to realistic, I’m sitting here watching the emails going back and forth and feeling sheepish and shy. SHEEPISH and SHY. If you know me, you would be shaking your head – Amy? Sheepish? Shy? My Mom would get it. But she knows me. What has rocked my confidence and outgoing mentality? Where are you? Hello!!!! WHERE ARE YOU?! I pitifully yell into the dark cave...

Last weekend we had Monday off (well, David did) and we actually got round to doing quite a lot! The original plan was a trip to Tasmania or something fun like that, but with everyone going out of town the prices sky rocket and it makes us cringe and sink back into our Melbourne hole where we find ourselves having plenty of fun! (And also saving enough money to score Tasmania next weekend!) In short, we headed out to Yarra Valley to do some wine tasting (beautiful country, wine's not so much) and met an awesome dog (obviously!) and enjoyed cruising around. Luckily we had a snazzy rental, thanks to David's corporate rate, and I drove all day while he did the "tasting". Worked quite well! Then the market the next day to pick up groceries for dinner that night (having friends over from Ireland and another one of David's coworkers). Luckily David remembered the Cellar Store (beer shop) was open so we hopped over to buy some hops and supplies to brew our first... ...

What do you think? More? Try something else? 

Or maybe just take a gander at some photos? :) After my entrepreneurial duties of waking up early to bake fresh spiced chai muffins (complete with maple syrup glaze and all credit goes to Miss. North for finding the recipe) for the shop downstairs, I whipped up my BEST batch of scrambled eggs. For serious. All other scrambled eggs I have made were failed attempts at what I achieved today, you guys. They were glorious. David kept asking if I put cream cheese or something in them to make them so fluffy. Nope. That's just 8 years of trying right there. And now, I'm never looking back. Slightly dramatic, but you know me, so we're square. Anyway - after muffin delivery, breakfast, a  bit of cleaning and David realizing if you don't wash your shirts regularly this will happen.... I try to get to them before this happens, but sometimes, you just can't win 'em all.  .... we ventured to the Botanical Gardens for a gander at the cacti. And by ventured I mean wa...