a roller coaster of emotion

coming back off such a high, i certainly hit some lows today.

and what i'm clearing is feeling like it's all too much and out of my control.

and what i'm committed to is feeling powerful by physically changing my stance: having great posture all day. (i've already checked a number of things off my list this morning- it's WORKING!)

the sun will rise and i'll try again. right? right!

magic monkeys fly

i just spent four days hiking the Appalachian Trail with my dad, who is attempting a thru-hike. he's already made it through 11 states, with just three to go and the only thing going better than his beard growth (#SANTAISTHATYOU?!) is his attitude.

i love love love love love love loved times infinity the experience of hiking with him on the trail.

it broke my heart leaving him, and then just now, reading his blog post about what a hard day it was (plus his anniversary!) made my eyes well up with tears. reading his honest assessment of the day without any put-upon cheer makes happy for him- to be free to be his authentic self- WHICH IS THE BEST.

he really is the best and there were moments (lots of moments) that i truly appreciated what a gift they were. right there in the moment. i can't wait for more adventures with this human. i'm so lucky he's mine. #goodchoicesoulthankyouthankyouthankyou

today i spent my entire day at airports. you know what i did? i took notes.

1. wear shoes that you can run in. why? because if shit hits the fan and you have to run to your gate, you need shoes that will help you, not hinder you. plus, planes can be cold! and you have to de-shoe through security meaning you need socks. all signs point to: NO FLIP FLOPS. listen to mama claire. just find a cute pair of shoes you can jog in.

2. if you want to look sleek and sophisticated (that's if. seriously, you may love wearing all leopard print and lots of jelly bracelets and carrying a pillow full of your stuff rather than a shoulder bag. which is cool. to each his or her own. #meow) wear neutral colors. doesn't have to be black. but the more neutral, the better. and air on the side of a little dressed up rather than dressed down. if you have to beg your way onto a plane or loose your boarding pass and have to plead with someone to print a new one, you want them, upon first glance, to believe the words coming out of your mouth, think that you must be busy and important and at the very least trustworthy, and the best way to do this is to look PUT THE FUCK TOGETHER.

3. now take my first two rules and shove them. i had an extra hour layover i wasn't expecting and i realized i was going to miss my yoga class, that i was desperately looking forward to (remember the FOUR days of HIKING CONTINOUSLY?!) so i found a flight of stairs and i started going up and down and up and down and... you get the idea. 20 minutes of cardio later and after actually busting out a pretty good sweat, i left enough time to cool down before my flight and bing bang boom, may have looked like a completely schweaty mess running those stairs at least 50 times. but who the hell cares? i MOVED. i changed my perspective. i felt good.

miss my dad tonight. love to you in the little motel in Dalton, MA.

seven sidenotes

may 3rd, 2015

today was a good day.

(last night was a bad night.)

but instead of reliving how bad of a night it was. i’m going to live IN the moment and tell you the first seven reasons WHY i’m feeling so good, which is HOW i came to have happened upon a few potentially noteworthy thoughts this evening. 

.1. i awoke to a beautiful Sunday morning. I was there- deep within a world so real it was real and then all of a sudden here I really was, of course. Eyes closed, listening to the sounds of an early Spring morning in the South. Rustling leaves from the newly green EVERYTHING. birds clearly having in-depth conversations about the state of the bugs at the moment. #sososuculent i was awake, listening to the peaceful moment that I was witnessing. I was witness to. To which I was witness. How Holy. How Sunday. 

.2. Then my alarm went off.

.3. And because my body had gently eased me awake moments earlier, i almost enjoyed finding out it was, in fact, time to get up.

.4. i gave my body enough sleep, and it thanked me by wakening me up and helping me start my day refreshed and grateful to it and to the sounds of the Earth with whom I would share the day.

.5. i taught two rockin’ pure barre classes. i felt in-control and like i nailed my vocals and truly encouraged every client to really work hard. i think this because i had a woman, whom may become a 1/2 generation-older friend, tell me. (sidenote** i love to have friends of different generations. it gives SUCH great life-perspective**) at the end of the last class i thanked everyone for coming to Pure Barre Church with me this morning, because that’s how it felt. Like we were all there for a common purpose and the more we aligned with ourselves the more we got out of it and the better it felt. it felt like a sweet release (which is OBVIOUSLY one of my favorite cues when we’re stretching)

.6. i worked really hard at work. it was even a kind of day that could have stressed me out, but i helped keep it under control and i think i turned what was really a pretty tense situation into a fun, lively game. would i choose to repeat the day? HELL NO. but, i’m proud of my team’s individual leadership and teamwork. we were all in it together and it was a powerful thing to be a part of. i can’t wait to thank Staci and McKenzie in ways that will help them understand how much i truly appreciate their hard work.

.7. i went on a walk- one of the greatest luxuries there is to be had in this life.

loves it | hates it

loves this. 

it might technicalllllly a wedding ring, but it's calling to my pointer finger in a real way.

by Greenwich Jewelers and only $850 (aka, not going to be seen on me anytime soon.)

hates this.

in disbelief that Julianne Hough's battle with ACNE is listed anywhere NEAR much less ABOVE Giuliana Rancic's battle with BREAST CANCER on people.com.

c'mooooon. seriously? i mean, seriously?? c'mon. inaprop.

your makeup bag is trying to kill you.

ewwwww. sick.

i hope you've had your morning coffee (and does that thing that morning coffee tends to do) and you're feeling nice and dandy this morning because i don't want you getting sick and making a scene running to the bathroom across your office.

do you know how often you're supposed to get rid of makeup?? it's like... ALL THE TIME. do people really go through their makeup before they're even supposed to get new stuff?? i know i don't... i have FAR too much of it to go through it at these rates!!

so this little article i found about how long products last (which, FIRST OF ALL, is poorly titled because it was just posted and it's called "Spring Cleaning for Your Makeup Bag" and it's Fall. And the season's aren't like time zones, right?? i mean everyone's in Fall now... well, everyone in this hemisphere. And this doc lives in Cali. so THERE. i shall rename this article, "Falling Away from Germs: Fall Cleaning from Your Makeup Bag." BOOM SHAKALAKA.)

soooo i begin again, this article give some time lines for our favorite products... and i just don't know if i 100% agree on them...

• Powders and pencils last the longest, so you can keep them for a year. Pencils should be sharpened each time you use them, for a fresh surface.

Well I agree that they can be kept the longest, but only a year? time flies when you're having fun, and a year can come and go rather quickly these days... i say, as long as the pencil or powder has the same consistency (soft like it's supposed to be soft, or powdery if it's supposed to be powdery) that it's always had, you're good to keep it. IF and WHEN you have to push your eyeliner so hard into your skin to make a line, then it's time to say GOODBYE.

• Liquid foundation and concealers can start to separate (and germs prefer to grow on moist surfaces), so discard them after six months.

UM. if this were the case then why do they give you like TWO YEARS WORTH in every pot of concealer or bottle of foundation??? i say use it until you lose it- unless it starts to smell funny.

• Lipstick and lip gloss should also be changed after six months (sooner if you've had a recent cold sore). Always wipe off the top of the lipstick/lip gloss after using it.

are we talking regular lipstick/glosses? or like... fun ridiculous colors that you wear once, see yourself in pictures from that night and decide to save for halloween...??? because i think that six months is a wee bit aggressive (save for this cold sore scenario) and that again, if it doesn't smell like your grandmother's makeup- you're probably not going to die from it.

• Mascara should be tossed after three months.

OK. AGREED. why? because every time you use mascara you're pumping air into the tube and that dries out the mascara inside the tube that you have yet to use. you know how great and smooth and easy to apply NEW mascara is?? well, let's all enjoy that little moment of pure bliss MORE and change our mascara more often.

I love the CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara and since it's at the drugstore, we can all afford to change it every three months! yessssssss. (and pretty please DON'T get waterproof.)

• If you use brushes for your blush or foundation, make sure you wash them at least once a week. It's more hygienic, and it'll help your makeup look smooth and flawless.

once a WEEK? ok, i'm going to plead the fifth on this one because i just don't know... i know i don't do it enough, but once a WEEK?? i'll wash 'em today and see if tomorrow i have "smooth and flawless" application... (kinda doubt it, but we'll see).

HAPPY FALL CLEANING! enjoy the leaves and germs as they fall from the sky.

i'm baaaaaaack

i can neither confirm nor deny that i have been snowed in since my last post in december of 2009.

let's just say that that little squirrel WAS DELICIOUS.

anywho, i'm back (potentially because i'm mildly obsessed with a social networking start-up that shall remain nameless) (and i've seen a lot, i repeat A LOT, of transgressions since moving back to NC) (and rachel zoe got preggers and HAD a baby since i've been gone- i mean, i missed a LOT) and better than ever.

IN FACT... i think i just might start some vlogging.

yes. yes. don't wet yourself and for goodness sakes put your wooden shoes back in your closet (or don't, because i took a clogging class and wouldn't mind a do si do partner every now and again) vlogging is video blogging.

i mean really, the only things better than my writings might be my ridiculous in-person antics, which vlogging might just capture even better than all this top notch blogging. (hold your applause.)

am i right or am i right?

am i going to be the next kandee johnson?? NO.  BETTER: i'm going to be the first ClaireMorganBerngartt. so stay tuned.

snowed in!

i came over to the house where my friend jesse is house, dog and kitty sitting.... and now i've been wearing the same clothes and watched four movies and almost an entire season of entourage.

i wish i had all my cuuuute snow clothes!!!

boots, scarves, gloves, mittens, hats.... mmmmm i just love bundling up!!!

too bad i'm stuck with my ill fitting hungover friday outfit from work.... skinny jeans have never been more uncomfortable than right now.

SNOW DAYYYYYYYSSSS are my favorite days nonetheless!!!!!!