A World In Reach

Twenty years ago my Dad brought me into a whole new world. It was magical and exciting and foreign. It was a world of travel! My Dad is a trucker and I got to go along for a lot of trips, I got to see new places and sometimes do new things. We didn't often get to stop, we usually had to just drive through but that was good enough. We would drive through small towns and around and through huge cities. I got to drive around the outskirts of Las Vegas during the day and at night- it was amazing to see all the lights. I got to come from a top a large hill at night looking down onto the city lights of somewhere in Montana. I got to see huge statues that lit up in the mountains so that villagers could find their way. Among all these things I got to see, what was most exciting to me was pretending! I could imagine anything I wanted so I imagined it was me living in those cities and small towns. I had the house nestled in between the mountains with horses and goats grazing in the pasture. I was standing in the little yellow shelter at the end of the driveway waiting for the school bus. It was me attending school in Texas waiting for the bell to ring to go hang out with my friends. It was a life I craved- someone else's. It was unknown and exhilarating and I wanted it but it was always out of reach. I could see it, I could yearn for it, and I could almost taste it, but it was just always out of reach. Maybe if I would live those lives I would still always be wanting something different, always on to the next adventure perhaps, but I still want it. It's changed a little as I've gotten older- I want that awesome job in San Francisco, and after work I head down to The Bay to walk around and look out at the water. Or work at some sort of studio in Chicago developing my photo's I took of all the buildings (even though I'm nowhere near the likes of being a photographer). Or I'm working in a high rise building for a magazine in New York writing an article that needs to be done yesterday. I look over through my window at the skyline of NY and pause a moment because I know that it's mine, and I relish in that.

I want to see the world. Maybe I wont get to live any of those lives, but maybe just getting a little taste from time to time would suffice. Maybe. I want to backpack through Europe for a month (and by backpack I mean taking a huge piece of luggage with wheels cuz I sure as hell am not living out of a small backpack for a month), sit at a cafe in Paris with the best unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower, sipping a latte and writing a blog post. I want to mingle with the people in Germany because I hear they are just so nice. Then take a trip to Switzerland and slide down mountains on some sort of toboggan contraption. Then head down to Italy and walk the streets of Rome, soaking in the ambiance and romantic air.

I want to see Abu Dhabi with all the mosque's and temples. I want to see the beauty in the buildings and capture it, maybe on film, but mostly in my heart. I want to get on a camel and race to the finish line. I want to watch the sunset from a dune buggy we took to go "Dune Bashing."

I want to go to the Philippines and soak in the culture. I want to play with the children and get a sense of local culture. I want to sit on a beach in Australia watching the surfer's try to catch a wave. I want to go for a walk through the valleys of Ireland, go to a pub for some ale and sink into my bed at the end of the night in the bed and breakfast. I want to walk the stone walkways in Israel and imagine myself in a time past.

There are a lot of places I want to go, to see, to experience. Maybe I'll accomplish all that I want. Maybe I wont. But I yearn for it, I want it and I'm reaching. Maybe one day I'll touch what I'm looking for, get a grip on it and hold on tight for the adventurous ride I so badly crave. For now I better get handle on my spending habits so I can make my dreams come true *blush*.

Dreaming Dreaming...

As a favor to a friend I said I'd post what I've been dreaming up. I had been working on laying out my dream kitchen (no, I do not even have a house, hence the "dreaming") including pictures and all, and she asked me to share so she could see as well. So here we go!

My number one must have is a white farmhouse style sink, they are gaaaaaawgeous, and if you don't know what I mean, please see below:

I like the functionality of the double sink, I'd most likely go with that but this is what each style looks like. The double sink is sold at Ikea for $350 and the single one also at Ikea for $250. 

Now picture that sink combined with light cabinets/dark counter, or colored cabinets/light counter, or dark cabinets/white counter. The possibilities are endless and they all seem to look good. Actually, don't picture it, I'll post pictures for you.  

My favorite right now is the last pic, dark cabinets, white counter top, white back splash.
I'm also really liking the open shelving trend but I'm not sure if that would be ideal for me. Here are some pictures of setups that I'm liking. Aren't those brackets in the middle pic adorable?!

Also it's worth mentioning that I want all stainless steel appliances and fixtures. I'm really digging the industrial lighting right now kind of something like these:

And here are some other fun details I've found that I'm really liking.

I thought this was so cute, I probably wouldn't do it because I don't 

eat enough bread, it would probably end up having junk stored

in it- but it's a neat idea. 

the concealed microwave might be annoying but I do like the fact that it's up high but not on top of the oven. 

Concealed garbage?! Enough. Said.  

Pots!! I like this first picture because you can pull it out and it's so functional, I also like how the lids are easily stored in the top pullout. Nothing bothers me more then those dang pot lids. I rarely use them so they constantly get thrown around in their tiny cabinet. 

I also really like this idea below, the lids are so visual although I do like the idea of them being closer to their pots, I'd fear they'd get too lonely. 

I just adore this idea of putting your pots and pans above the oven, I was thinking maybe I'd reserve that just specifically for pans though, and then store pots in a concealed place. And I love the idea of them all being stainless steel, it would tie in nicely with the stainless appliances.

Functional. I hate the look of the paper towel hanging under 

a cabinet, or on the counter. But also to keep in mind, kids could get

at this easily and just start a pullin' 

I like the idea of maximising your use of space, this drawer

pulls right out from under your sink. Great for cleaning supplies. 

There is nothing more annoying then trying to get those

stupid measuring spoons off the ring to just have to put them back on... in 

order... cuz I'm OCD like that. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE. Coffee bar!? Seriously?! This is

SO going in my one day home. It could hold my coffee maker AND 

Tassimo. Really like the hanging cups

idea too. And I'm also getting into tea now so I can just picture

the cute canisters and... and I could go on and on lol. 

Pull out drawer every thing. No door cabinets on the bottom. 

That's kind of what I got goin on in my head right now. Of course when I actually end up buying a home these things will happen slowly. Also there will have to be a lot more detail going into it, like what type of back splash I'd want, type and color of flooring and so on, but I don't feel like getting into that before it actually  happens. So there you have it Amanda and fellow readers- my dream kitchen ideas :) 

Tatted Up

So yesterday I got my first tattoo!! I am beyond excited and I just love it :D It's very small, the word "parabatai" as you know from a previous post it is a made up word, it's from a book series that my friend Nellie and I read and found it defined our friendship perfectly. Last year before Christmas we had decided to get these tattoo's but Nellie ended up backing out for personal reasons. Fast forward a few months and here we are! She resolved her differences and decided once again to go through with getting the tattoo.  I made her get hers first so I knew for certain she wouldn't back out after me getting mine lol. You can't exactly have a parabatai tattoo without your friend doing it too, that's like yin without yang, night without morning, Brad without Angelina, coffee without cream and that's just gross.

I can't wait to get more tattoo's yet, it will happen slowly, I don't want many but a few more. Not exactly sure of what or where but I have a few ideas. Crystal from Mort Cheval in Morden was the one who did the tat's, she was awesome. She was nice, and funny and really calming actually. We were a bit nervous going in but she made us feel at ease and I'd definitely recommend her. And in case anyone is wondering it was $125, I know that sounds crazy expensive but its a minimum charge. I called to a few places in Winnipeg and a lot of them had the same pricing, I'm sure I could have found a cheaper place but I didn't want to drive out there and this was good enough for me. And without further a due here are the videos and pictures of our first ever tattoo experience!!!!

Nellie's brother-in-law Matt had gotten

a tattoo a couple hours before us so he made an

appearance to see our first time. See his arm all 

bandaged up, his tat was a big'n. 

How it looks today!