on my bookshelf: the happiness project.

about a month ago, a friend sent me a text message that read: "stuck at chicago airport, bleurgh. just picked up the happiness project and it made me think of you. have you read it?"

i was instantly flattered. never mind that i hadn't actually read the book, i had heard amazing reviews and it warmed my heart that my friend thought of me and happiness together.

needless to say, i picked it up, and read the whole thing in a matter of days. and i loved it.

as someone who believes that happiness is a choice, and requires daily effort, the book really resonated with me. that being said, i am, at my core, a generally happy person, so i loved that the premise of the book was that nothing needed to be particularly wrong in order for someone to seek more happiness.

the set up of the book is that author, gretchen rubin, spends a year experimenting with different happiness resolutions, and shares her insights along the way. they include singing in the morning, taking more pictures, meditating, eating more real food, and much more.

i loved the book so much, i'm even toying with the idea of starting my own happiness project... it would include resolutions such as spending less time online, (and also spending more time outside), being more patient, reading more non-fiction books, going (indoor) rock-climbing, and enhancing my dinner making repertoire. 

now i'm curious, have you read the book, or started your own happiness project? i'd love to hear about it.

maine living.

as i type this, the sun is setting over the lake (and confession: we are also watching a christmas episode of community. we are addicted.) anyway...  today, two pictures. 

one: this amazing little house is where we are temporarily living while we look for our own house.  it belongs to simon's parents. so, while we can't stay forever, we are loving it. where else can you go canoeing after dinner and roast marshmallows on a week night?

two: speaking of dinner, this was one of the first meals we ate in the lake house: lobster, avocado, tomato, and mango salad. i am not exaggerating when i say it was "summer in a bowl". 

conclusion: nina is officially a maine girl.

i belong among a field of wildflowers. i belong in a boat out at sea.

moving is a little unsettling. cardboard boxes take over your surroundings, and shit, where are your favorite worn-out, soft sleeping pants? (they could be anywhere.)

despite my valiant efforts to stay sane, which include listening to the good music while packing, and spontaneous bouquets of wild flowers, i've had a couple of melt downs. this is normal, no?

what are your secrets for staying balanced during times of transition?  

summer solstice.

the summer night is like a perfection of thought. --  wallace stevens

 

please join us, won't you?

the way life should be.

… and i’m back! how have you all been? what did i miss? can i tell you how much i appreciate that you're still here? oh so much.

my time away from this space was busy, but in the best possible way. we have some news! over the past month, simon and i have made the move from our bustling, urban lifestyle in boston, to living on a lake in maine. we are still getting our bearings, and adjusting to the quieter lifestyle. (i am also learning how to drive slower. ahem.)

in the evenings, we sit by the water and build a fire. it's hot and still, and the bugs are a welcome reminder that we are, in fact, in a whole new place.

as with any big life transition, there is some bittersweetness. boston is where we met, fell in love and where some of our family and friends still live. but we've been dreaming about making this move for a while, and it feels like the perfect adventure at the perfect time. together, we are figuring it all out... even how to drive on bumpy dirt roads with a car that is packed to the brim with boxes.

over the next few weeks, i am excited to share more about this new place we call home, and get back into the groove of using my camera every day. 

logging on here today felt like coming home, and i am so happy to be back.

post script:  while i was away, i also spent some time thinking about why i blog… or more importantly, why i want to keep blogging. a friend of mine said it best when he said: "life only throws you a handful of magical moments. some are big and obvious like weddings, graduations, births, etc. other times, those moments are quiet, subtle, and easily missed.”  blogging reminds me to step back and pay attention. hopefully, many years from now, i can read this blog and remember with equal gusto, the little things that happened as the days went by.

(photo credit: weepy hollow)