Excuse the nonchalant toilet paper...

I forgot I was wearing lipstick until I excused myself from browsing pointless topics on the internet to go brush my teeth. Can you imagine what my face, not to mention my pillow, would look like in the morning if I had slept with lipstick on?

I chuckled to myself on that one.



Bloggers Coast to Coast

For all of you bloggers, hip and awesome oldies who've been doing this forever and the newbies (Hey, that's me)  alike, I present:

Bloggers Coast to Coast

I first saw this on Shane's blog and thought about what an awesome opportunity it would be to meet new blogger's and get your own blog recognized. As a newbie myself, I struggle with meeting new people and, hey, that's all part of getting a good blogging experience, right?

So, head on over and fill out a form to become part of the Bloggers Coast to Coast!

Link here.

I urge anyone and everyone to join!



Dear Portland

Thank you for being so weird and awesome. Thank you for hosting World Naked Bike Ride. Thank you for sticking by me when my emotions were getting the best of me. Thank you for having amazing places to eat that somehow lead to new friends and good conversations. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for having amazing parks. They are beautiful and allow me the chance to relax and let my thoughts wander. You are an inspiration at best. Thank you for the perfect weather that is a good mix between somber and happiness. Thank you for an amazing job in Hawthorne and Downtown. Seriously, it's a dream job for me and those alike. Thank you for public transportation that allows me to politely smile at people that I frequently see again and again.

I really can't thank you enough.

Sorry I've been absent...

Vision// by Ricardo Vilela

I'm working on a new design for this little ol' blog. Possibly a new name as well. I just want something that's going to fit me and my new life. I like this simple design but I don't think it's very appealing and I'd like to change that. :)

Anyway, I'm going berry picking.

I can't wait to show you what's in store. Have a nice day!

I don't really know how to say this.

How do you know if you're being tested? Not by God, but by evil.

I found myself feeling a sense of wholeness from my faith. The goosebumps that appear on your arm when you get this overwhelming feeling that just fills your heart. I felt protected by Him. It was like having a best friend to talk to that will just listen. That's what I needed, just someone to listen. I would focus on that everyday.

But then I got caught up in my emotional rollercoaster of a life.

I have the stress of tough financial situations where I am just flat broke.

My head and my heart have pulled me in two different directions and I promised myself that I would go with my gut. I did, to the best of my abilities.

People have popped up from the dark, dusty corners of my past.

I'm struggling with finding myself.

I know that is nothing compared to the struggles other people go through. There's a lot worse. Actually, I find it hard to continue to keep writing this post, now that I think about it because it makes me feel foolish. But I am going to continue.

I don't feel comfortable with myself and that is a battle in and of itself. That's why I feel like I'm being tested. I don't like when I don't feel close to Him and it's because of me that it's that way. It's because of me that I feel so empty, alone, and emotionally exhausted.

I just feel like I have let myself down.

That was a bit selfish.

"I realized adventure was the best way to learn".

I got this tattoo because I wholeheartedly believe it.  

I never believed that this journey would be easy. I'm learning as I go. I'm building my faith along the way.

I'm falling...

I'm picking myself back up...

I'm falling...

I'm picking myself back up...

I'm falling...

God is picking me up...

That says it all.