I am still so excited about my future that I can barely handle myself.
I could barely sleep because I felt like a human pogo stick. I am really that excited.
I colored this last night, because I couldn’t sleep. And because I really like ladybugs. And they unlike dinosaurs do not eat your face…
I hope this makes at least one person smile just a little bit!
And I’m still working on a theme week I think I shall display it on Thursday! Be ready!
♥Lauren
I am so happy today!
So I made a dinosaur that likes to give really close hugs… with his teeth!
He’s practically the Paul McCartney of the Mesozoic Era:
This may sound extreme nowadays, but it’s just the dinosaur equivalent of “I want to hold your hand”
Happy Tuesday!
♥Lauren
Today is a very nice day in which we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.
Some people get the day off.
Some cities throw parades.
Most people just think about how much better a place we live in now than when you could get harmed for believing in equality. And that all people are the same, even if they don’t look the same.
But I do not feel like I could properly draw a doodle to describe the importance of these celebrations.
And then Veronica inspired my by sharing with me another holiday of today that is much more easy to draw.
So while thusly celebrating the importance of MLK day… I bring to you the other holiday that happens today:
Penguin Appreciation Day:
So today when you are sitting back thinking about how amazing your life is right at this moment, because of all the things people in the past have done for us… please also think of a penguin.
Especially my brother who is so far up in Alaska that not even a penguin wants to be there.
♥Lauren
I was debating on posting this… so I just bit the bullet and posted it anyways.
It isn’t any secret… I’m in my second week of being jobless.
Starting 2014 with nothing to do in the hours that I usually have filled with drawing weird details and drawings of fireplaces is kinda strange. Did you know that there is sunshine during those hours? Did you know that you can help and visit with a lot of people during these hours? Did you know you can exercise during those hours? And climb rocks and figure out what exactly you can be? Being jobless for the first time since I was 17 is surreal to say the least, and I have of course been focused on finding it’s silver lining.
Honest to goodness I can say that I think watching “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” two days before I was unemployed was exactly what I needed to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Now I’m not suggesting this is a movie for everyone to see, because I’m known to oversell things I like. And, I don’t know many people personally who can benefit from it’s message, unless they are willing to reflect on their own experiences with honesty and candor… But, I can say that for me, this movie was life changing. I haven’t found a person in actual life who could tell me more about what is about to happen in mine. Walter, to me was more than a fictional character who’s has an incredible imagination, and is charmingly awkward. His years of making others thoughts and rough work into beautiful printed completion was never truly appreciated for what it was, but he did it sometimes with glee sometimes with just need to get it done. I’m not saying that is word for word my existence. But I like that Walter was so dedicated to a job that he knew was going to be lost, and who can really appreciate that?
Well, Walter did. And I thank him for it.
Actually… my work isn’t about reviewing movies… So, I need to move on.
I’m not going to focus on any of the past but I will say this with some joy… I no longer have people asking how long my Doctor’s appointments should last– I no longer have anyone guilting me into not getting annual check ups, or counting how many times I have gone to the bathroom. That I will simply not miss.
However working with a team you trust, is kind of amazing, I will never forget it or them. Those people know who they are.
But life moves on.
And then you watch Meg Ryan movies as you fill out job applications. Because she is a kindred spirit, like Drew Barrymore and Tina Fey. And then you notice things in movies you’ve seen a million times but never thought of before:
And this time I thought about it… Why yes I do. FOREVER. It’s natural, it’s infinite and at times it’s terrifying.
But when you have hope and goals maybe it isn’t so bad. I hope to do something brilliant with my forever. And I’m working on it right now.
♥Lauren
Today I want to share with you my most versatile present given to me this Christmas.
The pajamas my mother bought me.
You may say… Have you given up on life? How are pajamas the most versatile thing given to a girl who seldom wears pants and is usually coated in jewelry?
Well… Let me tell you. They are roughly 3 sizes larger than I usually wear. And I can comfortably fit 2 cats in them with me…
So basically now I have clothes that I can fit roughly 20 lbs of additional animal, and at least 1 cooler loaded to the brim with Dr. Pepper and protein bars.
While running around the house stuffing assorted pillows, animals, and pottery in there with me I realized they could provide me with a new type of lifestyle:
I can now camp across America in a very delightful way… the only thing is I need pajamas that are meant to fit on just a person too.
And don’t for one second think that I didn’t want to call friends and make a blanket fort town with this as it’s foundation.
♥Lauren
I am not a big New Years Eve person.
I don’t know why. I like to be sparkly, I like to drink. But I guess I like to do it on my own days and decisions.
But I do like to have a silly little at home party on NYE.
I will be looking forward tonight to doing some things I find irresistible.
Drinking.
Watching TV.
Wearing sparkly jewelry while doodling.
The only difficult thing that I have to say is that I have to choose between which of two shows to watch “Airwolf” or “Ally McBeal”?
Who shall I share the new year with?
Anyways I think my New Years resolution is to doodle more, and have more fun than ever before!
I hope you have a fun night and great next year too!
♥Lauren
I definitely feel spaced out.
This time of year always has so much stuff to get done. It’s hard to savor a moment.
And then all my spare time lately has been learning highly specific things about architecture. As someday soon I would like to have my license and be able to sign my name to all the drawings of buildings I feel confident and proud to say that I have worked on.
I have been finding a lot of my nights that don’t involve dancing, or shopping for lovely gifts for my family have been me reading about new types of construction, lateral loads, wind forces, and proper ventilation.
And it’s doing funny things to my brain.
It has several times in the last month made my brain feel overloaded.
Like I can tell you about foundation underpinning, but I forgot which way is left.
Or I can explain to you LEED requirements but I can’t remember what a hoagie is.
“I want one of those long sandwiches… with the meaty goodness and the cheese. You know what talking about!!!!”
And the saddest thing of all is I can’t even retain silly television trivia.
My brain has temporarily shut down on all things I find interesting.
And has replaced it with buildings and ceilings, and details of stairs.
♥Lauren
Today my dear friend Veronica told me that it’s “Mitten Tree Day”
A day when people put mitten on trees.
Now initially I thought it was to prevent trees from getting frostbite or just to feel empathy for the trees that have to stay outside while we are in our comfy homes.
It is actually a day started when a lady noticed some kids didn’t have mittens in really snowy cold weather so she made them and clipped them on the tree so they could take a pair if they needed it. Which is really beautiful, and is something that should be shared. We should all try to something sweet for people in need, with or without the glory. If you think about it we have so much to share with people! Even if you think it’s not much, it could mean something special to someone else!
What I will do at least for right now is make a doodle and hope that it gives someone a little smile on their face:
Thanks for the idea and great inspiration Vero!
♥Lauren
I have been on an exercising kick lately.
And you would think that would mean I’m literally melting off the pounds…
Well no, not exactly. I feel hungrier than a linebacker on their way to the Super Bowl as a side effect.
But that is not what I want to focus on here. This is where I admit I had a soda and a hostess cupcake for lunch, but seriously all the sugar that’s been around me I feel like it is literally in the air whispering my name… and who am I to deny how much sugar wants to be eaten?
I will certainly not be the girl who denies sugar.
Oh wait- – –
I was talking about my attempts of being more active.
I, as you all know, am not athletic.
Like basically any sport you can think of that has coordination as a part of it… is something I simply will not be good at. Just ask all the guys who have tried to teach me to golf, or play basketball. At least they have fun admitting I will never learn, but am a tenacious trier.
One thing I have discovered that I’m not so bad at is… dance. On my quest of exercise I’ve been spending a lot of my non-studying time in the world of belly-dance. It’s an amazing art form. So much hip shaking and sparkles. And when I’m not reading about sustainable this and that’s for the test I have in a month… I’ve been dancing. (This is actually why I’ve had very little doodles to share, sorry about that Internet.)
On Friday there was a performance with some of the girls I dance with. It was so fun and sparkly and beautiful. It was my first belly-dancing event and I even left the show so swathed in the scent of incense that I thought the Pope was going to bless people with me.
I was inspired to actually doodle some business, and rather than focusing on how I smelled like a Palm Sunday mass… I thought of a simple fun doodle:
I wish I was dancing right now and not sitting at work…
It’s that time of year when I have very little desire to be here in general. I think it’s because I know that none of these people like each other*… and that I still have 48 hours of vacation that I haven’t taken this year!
I’m going to remedy that next week by running away.
And on vacation I’m going to dance, doodle and very much not work.
Happy Monday!
♥LAUREN
*I’m still trying to figure out if this is an exaggeration… But at the very least there are office mean girls (and they are not girls)
Viciously Sweet 