"Laugh so hard that you go into silent laugh mode, and you come dangerously close to falling out of your chair, but you don't."

Afternoon Lovelies! Well I guess technically it's still the morning.... also- Happy Hump Day. I think you all need to laugh a little so that's what my blog is on today! Enjoy!!

13 Great Reasons to Laugh!

1. Laughter is FREE.

2. Laughter strengthens the immune system.

3. Laughter is anti ageing.

4. Laughter reduces depression and anxiety.

5. Laughter builds confidence.

6. Laughter improves our sense of humor.

7. Laughter encourages creativity, imagination and problem solving.

8. Laughter is an aerobic exercise equivalent to cardiovascular exercise.

9. Laughter increases the body’s natural painkillers.

10. Laughter reduces stress related hormones.

11. Laughter defuses anger and resentment.

12. Laughter connects people.

13. Laughter is FUN!

Laughter Yoga… What is it?

No mat required, only a willingness to be playful! We will explore the benefits of laughter in the workplace and to health in general, and consider how to create more laughter on a daily basis.  Laughter Yoga is a great team builder and workplace wellness activity.

Laughter Yoga is a physically-oriented technique that uses a perfect blend of playful, empowering and otherwise "tension-releasing" simple laughter exercises, interspersed with gentle breathing and stretching exercises. This is done as a way to improve health, increase well-being. In Laughter Yoga you use laughter as a tool, not an emotion.

Because it does not rely on the mind at all, Laughter Yoga helps you to easily distance yourself from your stress, sadness, worries, self-defined limitations, etc. As a result you do not need to be happy, have a sense of humor, or even have a reason in order to laugh. Laughter Yoga bases itself on the philosophy of “acting happiness”. We “simulate to stimulate.” In time fake laughter becomes genuine and flows out like a fountain.

Laughter Yoga crosses all barriers: age, gender, language, culture, physical abilities, race, religion, political beliefs, etc. because laughter is part of the universal human vocabulary.

The therapeutic value of Laughter has been thoroughly and scientifically researched in the past 40 years, and its physical benefits proven beyond the shadow of a doubt. Today there are over 6000 Laughter Clubs worldwide, counting 250,000+ members.

xox always,
Linds

What Doesn't Kill You

Currently Listening to:

Ok first off… I LOVE AOL Music- every Tuesday they give let you listen to full albums that came out that week.  This week Kelly Clarkson has her new CD out and I have to say I am completely obsessed with What Doesn’t Kill You! AMAZINGGGGG!

This song is for any woman who has come out stronger- love you all! YOU ARE FIGHTERS- everything in life tests us, and we need to remember to pick ourselves back up and love yourself for who you are!

Here is the link to the AOL Music listening party ha! And lyrics are below

 http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds#/1

Kick some ass on this cold Tuesday!

xox always- Linds

You know the bed feels warmer
Sleeping here alone
You know I dream in color
And do the things I want

You think you got the best of me
Think you had the last laugh
Bet you think that everything good is gone
Think you left me broken down
Think that I'd come running back
Baby you don't know me, cause you're dead wrong

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

You heard that I was starting over with someone new
But told you I was moving on over you

You didn't think that I'd come back
I'd come back swinging
You tried to break me, but you see

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

Thanks to you I got a new thing started
Thanks to you I'm not a broken hearted
Thanks to you I'm finally thinking bout me
You know in the end the day you left was just my beginning
In the end...

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

“The only constant in Life is CHANGE”

Afternoon lovelies!! I have some BIG news I want to share with you.  I accepted a new position with Rue La La- one of my all time favorite companies.  If you have not heard of them please check them out and sign up for an account.  www.ruelala.com To learn more, please read the below blurb directly from their website!

RUE LA LA IS…

We are the invitation-only destination for a life of style. Where Members delight in discovering private sale Boutiques that open daily – and stay open only for a short time. A community where Members shape the experience – and enhance the excitement – by inviting their friends. A place where they discover some of the most sought-after brands in fashion, accessories, footwear, home, travel, wine, gourmet food, local services, and more.

Our mission is to partner with innovative brands, offering them a powerful online sales and marketing opportunity – while creating the most engaging shopping experience in the world for our Members.. And we do it with one key mantra – we respect and maintain the core integrity of each and every brand with which we partner.

Headquartered in Boston, we continue to expand our presence in New York by building out merchandise, marketing and sales capabilities in our Bryant Park office. Our success is largely due to unmatched capabilities in customer experience, merchandising, technology, production, and logistics.

Above all, we are people who love discovery – just like our Members. We thought it was high time that shopping got a little more interesting.

On that note I want to talk about change and dreams. I feel like both go hand in hand and the opposite end of the spectrum is failure. We need to remember that everything in life is temporary and fleeting.  Yes- change is scary but it can do so much good for our soul.  I am constantly looking to challenge myself in life, do something scary take a chance.  Who cares if you fail… I mean really- WHO CARES???  If you fail- pick yourself up, you’ll only be stronger.  Life will never go as we plan so we need to learn how to enjoy it…. Enjoy it to the max, learn to have good attitude and have fun with it. SMILE as much as possible, even when you’re feeling down because it will make you feel better to laugh and smile… this I promise. Even if it is only temporary relief for 2 minutes, during that 2 minutes you’ll feel better. 

I don’t ever want to look back with regrets and wonder what if for any aspect in my life. I hope you feel the same way. The only way to possibly get where you want to be is to step outside of your comfort zone.  For me right now it is scary to think that I am leaving my family at Iron Mountain.  I have met some TRULY AMAZING people here and I know some of them will be in my life for a very long time.  My friend Meg is going to marry Seth and I, Marisa and I roomed together for a week at our past conference and spend every waking hour together, I mean these are the types of friendships I have made… Forever friendships that I will carry with me no matter where I venture off to.  It also doesn’t hurt that Rue La La is only located 5 minutes away from my current office which means plenty of Papagayos dinner dates with my friends from Iron Mountain.  I’m also scared of being the “new girl” at work- needing to learn so much in such little time, and becoming well adjusted there.  There is also a thrill aspect to taking on new challenges and overcoming obstacles, creating bonds with more people and learning about the fashion industry.

Being scared won’t stop me from trying my reach my goals. I just have to push forward like the rest of us to try and achieve what I want most in life. 

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes, “Begin doing what you want to do now.  We are not living in eternity.  We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake.” Marie Beyon Ray

xox always- Linds

Tradeshow time!

Good morning lovelies! NO I have not been ignoring you, just working my butt off at my company’s biggest trade show of the year- ARMA! Last year was my first time going and it was in San Francisco, luckily I took a few days off after the show last year to visit my sissy in LA.  This year we’re in DC and I get to go home tomorrow-YAAYY!!!! I’m having an amazing time here but I am definitely ready for my own bed, to see the pups and to snuggle with my Sethers.  

DC is an amazing city!!! Although I haven’t been able to get out much I was able to participate in one of our amazing events- DC after dark.  Our Iron Mountain employees along with our customers had the chance to tour the presidential yacht followed by visiting the Smithsonian and viewing 3 private exhibits, the first ladies dresses, the American Flag and the presidential exhibit.  From there we went to the Anderson House for a private dinner- AMAZING!!

Of course whenever I travel I pick up a book.  I’m SO excited to read it!!! I bought “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin.  Below is a review on the book:

The Happiness Project is one of the most thoughtful works on happiness to have emerged from the recent explosion of interest in the subject. Rubin weaves together philosophy, scientific research, history, analysis, and real-life experiences as she explains what worked for her—and what didn’t. Her conclusions are sometimes counter-intuitive – for example, she finds that money can buy happiness, when spent correctly – but they resonate with readers of all backgrounds.
Filled with practical advice, sharp insight, charm, and humor, The Happiness Project manages to be illuminating yet entertaining, profound yet compulsively readable. But The Happiness Project isn’t just an engaging and provocative book. Gretchen’s passion for her subject jumps off the page, and reading a few chapters of this book will inspire you to start your own happiness project.
Gretchen has a wide, enthusiastic following, and her idea for a “happiness project” no longer describes just a book or a blog; it’s a movement. Happiness Project groups have sprung up from Los Angeles to Enid, Oklahoma to Boston, where people meet to discuss their own happiness projects. More than a dozen blogs have been launched by people who are following Gretchen’s example. On her companion website, the Happiness Project Toolbox, enthusiastic readers track and share their own happiness projects.

Rights have been sold for 31 foreign editions of The Happiness Project

I’ll be back tomorrow and blogging away furiously!!

xox always- Linds

Streetlight

Currently Listening to: Joshua Radin- Streetlight Acoustic Version

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Joshua Radin.  I saw him in concert in Boston last year I believe and he is AMAZING live! I also just love his voice and his music. I love the song Streetlight because it reminds me of change and how change is good.  It keeps me inspired to keep dreaming and pushing forward. The lyrics and song are below, enjoy on this rainy Thursday!!!!!

I'll wait for something under a streetlight
It won't be long
Because it's dark it's cold
It's one of those nights
It's one of those nights where
There's something out there
Keeps me alive

But I don't know where to go
So I think I'll sit and stay here a while
Till I figure it out

So let the wind blow us
To wherever it says
We are supposed to go

When you want something but can't name it
It's under a streetlight
It's something you've never seen before
Open the door
It's something you've always been afraid of
It's under a streetlight
And now all you want is more

But don't know where to go
So I think I'll sit and stay here a while
Till I figure it out


I don't mind the wait it's fine
As long as you know
It's the wait that could be the something


I don't know where to go
So I think I'll sit and stay here a while
Till I figure it out

So let the wind blow us
To wherever it says
We are supposed to go
So let the wind blow us
To wherever it says
We are supposed to go
We are supposed to go

xox always- Linds

Dog Lovin'

I LOVE DOGS!!! GOOOOD morning- I just had to share some of these adorable dog photos… they made my morning, hope they make yours!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I got to thinking today about the most common interview question I’ve been asked- Where do you see yourself in five years?  It’s such a hard question to answer.  You never know what people are looking for you to say…. Because if I was to answer honestly, all I want to say is in five years I see myself happy.

In my younger twenty’s I had my whole life planned out and when things crashed down on that plan I picked myself up and reinvented myself into someone who is spontaneous with no life plan- goals and dreams yes, but I didn’t want to tie myself down to a plan. Successful job out of college, married at 26 kids around 28- I threw that to the wind. Life is freer, I don’t know where I’m going to live, what job I’ll have, what life adventures lie before me and I like it that way.

I do know a few things about where I’ll be in the next five years.  I’ll be married to the most amazing man in the world, still have supportive friends and family by my side, and enjoying curveballs that life throws at me.  I don’t back away from things like I used to in my early 20’s.  Skydiving- check. Roadtrips- check. Moving into an apartment- check.  Loving unconditionally and wholeheartedly- check. Failing and picking myself back up- check.

Life isn’t as scary as I once thought it was.  We can survive so much more than we actually think we can- my sister is a perfect example of this.  I surround myself with amazing people, and I keep them in my life because I am an amazing friend to them in return for their generous hearts that are amazing to me.  I live to be inspired, and to help people, and to learn to grow in the process.

So many people say getting old is scary and I say bring it on!!!! I can’t wait to see what life is going to offer me as I get older?  I like the ME I’ve become over the past few years.  I’ve worked on my inner demons and defeated them- may have taken me awhile but it did happen with a lot of perseverance.

My wish for you is to throw caution to the wind.  Don’t make a life plan; learn to enjoy what happens- the good the bad and the ugly because you’ll end up stronger and wiser.  Learn from your mistakes, if you’ve been hurt- let people in again because there are so many amazing people you could meet.  Dream Big. Don’t stop believing in yourself because how else will you make other people believe in you.  Be kind.  Try new things. Don’t ever stop trying to learn. Do not underestimate yourself or overthink your life. Dance until you are dizzy, laugh until you collapse.

Are you happy?

xox always- Linds

The Important Things In Life

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”
“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter – like your job, your house, your car.
The sand is everything else. The small stuff.”
“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.

Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

xox always- Linds

Monday Morning Laugh!

Morning loves! I have my usual funny video for some Monday morning cheer! I have a slight obsession with Kristen Wiig from SNL- my favorite skits are the "Target" skits ahhhh so please enjoy one of the newer Target skits featuring Ben Affleck!


xox always- Linds

WEDDING!!

AHHHH It's Katelyn and Andy's Wedding day!!! I finally finished my Maid of Honor speech and I'm pretty pumped!  I'm leaving soon to head over to the hotel for hair and makeup!


Katelyn and Andy are two amazing people with an amazing relationship.  I love them so much and I couldn't be happier for them, and I am so thankful I am a part of this wonderful day!  Enjoy some pics of them and the bridesmaids/friends through the years!!


xox always- Linds

My Favorite Engagment Pic!

KK and Andy!

 



Andy and Katelyn!

Right after they got ENGAGED!

Another of my favorites!

Quality time with Yourself

Mornin!! So last night I had to run out and do a few errands for Katelyn’s wedding which is… TOMORROW!!! AHHHH I can’t wait! I’m so excited to be her Maid of Honor, she is one of the most beautiful people inside and out and I’m so lucky to have her in my life!

When I finished my errands I decided to get food, and I really didn’t feel like eating at the food court so I decided to go out to dinner with.. MYSELF! Ha! I went to Cheesecake and asked for a table for one- felt a little strange but I thought, why not? I’ve never gone out to a restaurant by myself, why not do it?!

I have to say that I really enjoyed downtime by myself eating a great meal. I had time to decompress from such a crazy week, I was able to sit there with my thoughts and relax. It was a little weird every so often when I realized I had no one to talk to so I’d go on my blackberry, but there was something refreshing about doing something I had never done before, and doing it alone in public.

When I was in college I worked at Outback Steakhouse and I remember feeling so badly for people that came in by themselves. I think in my mind, I feel like if I walk into a restaurant or a movie theatre or anywhere alone that I will be judged. However- that was the old me and now I just don’t care- and I want to try all these new things on my own, because- why not?!

Everyone needs a little quality time and downtime so go pamper yourself! I highly recommend going into a restaurant for a table for 1!


Take time to think – it is the source of power.
Take time to play – it is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to read – it is the fountain of wisdom.
Take time to dream – it is hitching your wagon to a star.
Take time to pray – it is the greatest power on earth.
Take time to love and be loved – it is a God-given privilege.
Take time to be friendly – it is the road to happiness.
Take time to laugh – it is the music of the soul.
Take time to give – it is too short a day to be selfish.
Take time to work – it is the price of success.
Old English Prayer


xox always-Linds

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

RIP Steve Jobs. Thank you for making such an impact on our world!


In light of yesterday’s sad news of Steve Jobs passing away I wanted to share the transcript and video of Steve’s commencement speech at Stamford University.
I remember reading this speech awhile ago thinking WOW he understands everything happens for a reason. You can’t get down on your luck because life will eventually take you where you are supposed to be. Simply put by Steve Jobs, “you’ve got to find what you love.”


Transcript:
I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.


The first story is about connecting the dots.
I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?


It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.


And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.


It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:
Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.


None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.
Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.


My second story is about love and loss.
I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.


I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.


I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.


During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.


I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.


My third story is about death.
When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.


Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.


About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.


I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.


This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.


Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.


When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.


Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.


Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.
Thank you all very much.

xox-always Linds

*Love is Love*

Today I want to talk to you about something very important to me.  I feel like we live in a society that is accepting of people, when realistically it’s not unfortunately.  I guess it’s because I try to accept people for who they are the good the bad and the ugly….and I expect other people to do the same.  We are all human and deserve to love people who treat us right, no matter if it’s a guy or girl.  I’ve had some very special people in my life who happen to be gay and are some of the most caring and amazing people I’ve ever met.  

So today, I want to talk about a few things: 1. Accepting who you are 2. NOH8 Campaign 3. The Real L Word  4. Don’t ask Don’t tell

1. I was talking to my Mom the other day about one of my friend who struggles with her sexuality because she’s not accepted by her family and has conflicting thoughts about her faith.  We both agree that after all the changes and strides we’ve made in the world: putting an end to segregation/women’s rights and so much more, that sexual orientation shouldn’t even be an issue now. I can’t wait for the day when our kids grow up and look completely flabbergast when we say woman couldn’t marry a woman and a man couldn’t marry a man. I can’t wait for the day when we start accepting people for who they are. On that note, I think it takes people a long time to accept them for who they are, regardless of sexual orientation.  I wish my friend could see what an amazing/beautiful person she is and that she could give herself fully to a relationship and be ok with who she is.  If you can’t love yourself first, you aren’t going to be able to commit fully to anyone else.  Life has just made it so much harder for people who are gay, and it’s not fair. I know that I can’t fully understand what people go through, but what I do know is that people are the same, love is love and regardless of your sexual orientation you need to surround yourself with a support group that loves and cares about you and will always be there for you.

2. Even if your family can’t support you fully, there is SO much love out there to go around.  I admire the NOH8 Campaign (http://www.noh8campaign.com) They come city to city and hold open photo shoots for $40 per person or $25 per person per group.  My friend Robyn did this and her picture came out amazing! See below! The next time they come to Boston I am SO THERE!!!! Here is some information on the NOH8 Campaign taken from their website:On November 4, 2008 Proposition 8 passed in California, amending the state Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. The defeat provoked a groundswell of initiative within the GLBT community at a grassroots level, with many new political and protest organizations being formed in response.

My friend Robyn and her dog Lilly- adorable!

The NOH8 Campaign is a photographic silent protest created by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska (http://www.bouska.net) and partner Jeff Parshley in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced by Prop 8 and similar legislation around the world, with "NOH8" painted on one cheek in protest.

Nearly two and a half years since its inception, the NOH8 Campaign has grown to over 13,000 faces and continues to grow at an exponential rate. The campaign began with portraits of everyday Californians from all walks of life and soon rose to include politicians, military personnel, newlyweds, law enforcement, artists, celebrities, and many more.

The NOH8 Campaign has received overwhelming support from around the world, and has appeared in various local and national news programs and publications. The images are widely used on various social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to spread the message of equality. Eventually the images will be compiled for a large-scale media campaign.

3. So I am a HUGE fan of the show The Real L Word on ShowTime. This is a reality show based off of lesbians in Los Angeles, just living their lives and having it filmed.  This show came out a few years after The L Word Series ended.  I remember talking to a few people who were so thankful both shows were aired because they finally felt like they could relate to it! I was lucky enough to meet my lesbian crush Whitney Mixter at a pool party in MA in August. I think she’s a true inspiration to any people out there struggling with who they are- she is who she is, and she OWNS it, along with having a great support system and BEING a great support system to her friends and fans.

Meeting Whitney in MA!

Meet Whitney! The first video is a little bit about her, and the second is about her speaking at USC for anti bullying through the arts!

Another one of the cast members, Romi Klinger started a jewelry line which launched on Love and Pride- http://www.loveandpride.com/Product/CategoryInfo.aspx?cid=799 

Here is some info on the Company Love and Pride:

Who We Are: Love and Pride is the first high-end designer jewelry online destination for people who believe in equality, diversity and tolerance. Our jewelry collections include engagement, commitment, wedding and anniversary rings, necklaces, pendants, earrings, watches and other accessories for women and men. Sometimes romantic, sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical…always captivating.

The collective dream of a group of artists and entrepreneurs, Love and Pride is a worldwide venture founded to celebrate the transformative powers of passion, creativity and action.

Making a Difference: Your purchase makes a difference at Love and Pride.  Proceeds from the sales at www.LoveandPride.com are donated to non-profit organizations that support full equality and civil rights for our community.  Our partners, The Matthew Shepard Foundation, The Human Rights Campaign and others are shaping a better future for all of us by helping to create a society that is truly diverse and tolerant.  Make a fashion and social statement with Love and Pride!

4. The USA is making baby steps though; I just wish it was leaps and bounds. It’s about time that “Don’t ask don’t tell” was eliminated but it took way too long!!!! I saw an awesome video posted on PerezHilton the other day about a soldier coming out to his Dad and honestly, it was amazing!

LOVE IS LOVE

xox always- Linds