I don't think it's true that grown-ups can't us the word "grown-up," or else they lose their grown-up status.
"Grown-up" is fun to say, regardless of age or maturity.
Which leads me to today's post: it's about grown-up things.
I started a savings account!
There's not much in it... BUT I'm really excited.
The account is my I'm-graduating-May-2012-and-want-to-move-somewhere-neat-shortly-there-after fund.
(Got a nice ring to it, don'cha think?)
Anyway, I love being a grown-up and I love doing grown-up things.
And I am thanking myself now, because I will be thanking myself later.
To me!
To 2011!
(To May 2012!)

Today gets a double-decker posting.
I was asked at work yesterday what I was going to do after I graduate from college, and my answer went a little something like this:
"Um... play roller derby and write poetry."
Oh good. Sounds promising.
I hadn't really articulated that before
(or not in that order, anyway. And definitely not as the primary answers... ).
I usually come up with something like
"I plan on working for non-profits or NGOs to end all forms of violence."
The poetry is a secondary thought.
And roller derby... well, I feel like I'm in third grade and she just moved here from out of town and got sat in the desk right next to me and so we're insta-besties.
I'm actually pretty amused by how quickly roller derby has become a big part of my life.
A question I have had the same answer to for a while is
What do you love?
The ready-response is:
"I love people and words. The rest is secondary."
I'm tacking on roller derby.
To people and words and roller derby.
To love and gratitude.
To 2011.

Alrighty. Happy Sunday.
I feel like my life is humming back and forth between entirely chaotic and totally peaceful... usually not what I strive for (read: balance). However, I'm quite happy, and while there are those chaos-inspired panic moments I feel generally pretty grounded.
Ever read the book Eat, Pray, Love? I know Elizabeth Gilbert has been dogged on a lot for this book, but I think she has some really good things to say.
One of my fave quotes was from her friend she calls Wayan (all names were changed for privacy).
Wayan says "To lose balance sometimes for love is part of living a balanced life."
True that.
I love Liz for her appreciation for self-love, self-understanding and self-respect.
I also love how she finds teachers everywhere.
To the nay-sayers I say: I like the book.
And thanks to Liz for writing it... this wasn't intended to be about the book, but it definitely fits.
Here's to me (And Wayan! And Liz!).
And to 2011!

I am grateful for chapstick.
I love my lips not feeling like they're about to fall off.
Thanks, chapstick!
(May your 2011 be filled with soft and hydrated lips?)

I am grateful for my body. I love being able to move the way I do.
Here's to me and my body!

"I give myself a headache."
--me.
I love being me, but sometimes, even I don't understand how my brain works. How I can forget so easily or be distracted.
I blogged yesterday to "catch up" and forgot to blog for yesterday... enter the quote above.
So I'll be doubling up today, and then will be on track. For now.
I worked during the afternoon and evening on Tuesday. I am grateful to have a job in general, and to have the one I have. I love the feeling of supporting myself. And while I do need outside help occasionally, I love that I can take care of myself.
Today I remembered how much I love libraries. Sitting on the floor between shelves and looking through books just makes me happy. I am so grateful for the access I have to libraries, too.
To Love and Gratitude, 2011!

Wow... 3 days to post about!
I have had so much going on and let my blog slip to the back burner, but again, I refuse to get down on myself for this... I have had an excellent couple of days.
Number one thing I have learned while away: I am so grateful for the people in my life.
There are so many awesome people in my life.
My Saturday was spent with many great people.
So much love.
Sunday brought carmel rolls. With great people. Definitely a win-win for all involved. Who doesn't love bouncing around the kitchen, singing along with Regina Spektor, and baking for loved ones? Grateful for the laughter shared and the carmel rolled.
Monday (and part of Sunday which carried over to Monday) involved cleaning. And lots of it. I love the feeling of everything being in order and simply catching-up... I never realize how disorganized or how far behind I am until I start figuring out just where I am.
Grateful to be sitting in my newly organized world. I love it.
To us, 2011, and all the beauty and chaos you will bring!

I love my friends and I am so grateful for them.

I love not giving up.
And I am way grateful for the perseverance I've established in myself.
Here's to all the awesome.
(GO TEAM ARIELLE!)

I love poetry. Especially when the poetry is read aloud by the person who wrote the poem. I have a special love for slam poetry and spoken word, but really, anyone who's got the nerve to write down some words and get up in front of people to read them is way cool in my book.
Props to all the self-expressin' and self-lovin' poets out there!
Much gratitude to you all.

So people with grown-up jobs have the option of working-from-home sometimes, and so I decided today that I could do the same. I got up at my usual time for a Tuesday and proceeded to stay in my p.j.'s, make pancakes from scratch, and have a big ol' cup of tea. I stayed in my bed working until a little before 2 pm and got much homework done. And I loved it.
A very productive morning... which I am grateful for.
Also, today is a very special friend's birthday and I am so, so grateful for her and all she is in my life!
Love all around.

I spent too much time yesterday lovin' myself and those around me and forgot to spread the lovin' here... I love an excuse to celebrate love. Save the it's-all-about-capitalism idea and enjoy the day. I'm my own valentine first and foremost every year. Then my mom. And then from there the list grows... I always end up with many valentines. And that's just the way I like it. Spread the love, ya'll!
(...will you be my valentine?)
Gratitude and Peace (and Love!),
Arielle

I am grateful for my internet working right now... There have been complications with in and out reception (I'm not sure if that is the proper word). Anyway, I definitely take for granted the fact that the internet works from my bed most of the time. And I do love being able to turn assignments in online (and blogging, of course!).
Best to all!

I love getting organized in my planner. I have the next three weeks all written out, high-lighted and dated, and it feels awesome. I'm grateful to myself later on when I take the time to get organized now.

I love animals. And I am grateful for having them in my life... today's adventures involved much fun and frolicking with kittens and puppies (who knew pug puppies were so adorable?!).
May your 2011 be filled with cuteness!

I love making connections in my head.
Obscure or ordinary, far-fetched or blatant I love that some things just make sense together within the walls of my brain. Things that no one else would think of.
(I had some really good ones of these today!)
I am grateful for how fun this is to do.

"A person who knows how to laugh at himself will never cease to be amused."
--Shirley MacLaine (Think what you want, because I love this quote!)

I love being happy.
And I am so grateful that I have the ability to make myself happy.
Love all around, 2011!

I love one woman parties. I don't have them enough. I am very grateful for the one I had today.

Today I'm grateful for awesome people. I spent my day with many awesome people in a variety of situations... I love awesome people.

I am grateful for being humbled... and while I don't always love how being humbled feels, I love the outcomes.
To us, 2011!

I love cleanliness... this isn't one of my strong points, as cleaning frequently falls to the bottom of my priority list. But I really do love having things clean (and even the cleaning process). I'm grateful for the feeling of accomplishment I get when things are clean in my world.

I love sounds. I frequently find myself stopping to listen: jars untwisting, brooms sweeping, people walking... I listen. I love to take them in and feel the vibrations, however subtle. I am grateful for sounds and the variety of them.
(To a noisy 2011?)

I love spontaneity (isn't that word spelled weird?)! As I am maturing I find that I am suppressing my spontaneous urges more frequently... I think this can be both good and bad. Again, all of this sounds an awful lot like balance. I am grateful for my spontaneous urges and also the judgement to know when to give in to them.
To us, 2011!

I love being in a good mood. And I am in such a good mood right now. The live-and-let-live, the I-got-this, the I-don't care-if-things-don't-go-my-way days... I love them. And I'm really grateful to have days I feel unstoppable.

I love to take a bath. The more time I spend writing this blog, the more I realize I am grateful for the times I slow down. I am grateful to have the time to spend on myself and my well being.
To a bath-filled 2011!