oh the madness

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its inevitable to wonder how many 'what ifs, if onlys' and 'could've beens' parade through the minds of millions, as people scour over their botched 2010 men's ncaa tournament brackets. amongst the multiple bracket challenges many people enter, the pressure of winning escalades as money, pride, and respect stand at the frontline. and as the tournament wars on, the percentage of those hopeful of reigning in victorious grows more and more slim. all of those who are crazy for the madness have one thing in common, aside from the popular growing notion that its the best time of year for any avid sports watcher (give or take a few sporting events), you have an allegiance. and i dont mean always rooting for your alma mater. whether or not you walk into the tourney with one, you walk out with an allegiance to the one team who captures your heart with that last minute 3 pointer to win at the buzzer, thank you northern iowa for shattering brackets when you put out #1 seed kansas, or the underdogs, like the big red, who amidst their odds, play with the necessary team work and poise that carry their team farther than they've ever gone in the history of their school and the tournament, dubbing their season a 'cinderella story.' allegiance doesn't carry you far, but the beauty of allegiance is that it will bring even the thickest skinned viewers to tears.

most of us gawk in frusteration at the devestation of our bracket predictions, but let's face it: we love an upset...or 7.  admit it. highlights of this year's tourney range from the blowouts to buzzer beaters to the two double overtime games played against the florida gators vs. byu and kansas state vs. xavier. just be honest, while watching those games, it didn't matter who won or lost. the adrenaline in the fight was enough to keep your eyes peeled to the tv. a few of you might shamefully admit to exhausting yourself as much as the players did during those games with all your screaming, flinching, high fiving and air fist punching...you get the idea. ironically, maybe its called the big dance for more than one reason.

so now the final four teams are set: Michigan State, West Virginia, Butler, and Duke. in lieu of destroyed brackets, we're okay with the outcome. why? because it's the madness that makes this time of year fun. if team ranking prior to the tourney went according to plan, we'd be lying if we said we wouldn't be slightly disappointed. i don't know about you, but i'd take the thrill of the dance over victory any day. strap on your dancin' shoes, Indianapolis here we come.

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lovely lonny

happy friday to my lovely readers. i'm feeling lazy today, so i would just like to leave with you a quick blip, yes, 'blip' (my made up word that means 'a taste of') from one of my all time favorite magazines. Lonny Magazine is an online collection of photos, articles, and DIY projects that cater to those who long for practicality, creativity, and accessibility at reasonably affordable prices. one thing that is so appealing about the online aspect of this magazine, is that if you see a picture or article you personally enjoy, all you have to do is click it and it will take you directly to the link from which the picture/idea/inspiration came from, thus helping you find EXACTLY what you're looking for. below is a collection of my most favoritest pictures from the magazine. i just adore the color palatte and design in these indoor and outdoor spaces. i'm usually not a fan of rooms with white walls, but the first picture below makes my mouth water. (or maybe i'm just that hungry as lunchtime is quickly approaching)

hope you enjoy these as much as you do your weekend. peace.

i always love a good find

i always love a good find. especially, as i've mentioned in a previous blog, good finds that get put in my home. i'm going to brag about this particular find that is on its way to my home, via ups, as i sit here at work! i cannot wait till these precious flowers arrive on my doorstep. my very first time to see these flowers was in a display at anthropologie. had they been on sale in the store, i know for certain, i would've purchased them. but like all the rest of their displays, sadly, none of them can be bought (as i've wished they could be on more than one occasion). after passing by the cute little yellow buds i never paid them much thought, until i discovered this website just the other day: Nettleton Hollow, and to my amazement, there they were right on the home page! even more delightful was the pricetag on these beauties: only $16.50 for 20-30 stems. alas, what a delightful discovery! craspedia: what an odd name for a flower. and what endless possibilities they can be used for when it comes to decorating with them! from home decor to wedding table arrangement even to boutonnieres! i was able to learn not only what these flowers were called, but interesting information like what other flowers they relate to as well as where they originated. if you find yourself as excited by these as i am, i will not spoil all the fun of the website here on my blog, so i suggest you scurry over to Nettleton Hollow's website. there you'll not only get the opportunity to purchase the craspedia, you'll also find even more unique and fun finds!

(wo)mans best friend

i guess before i embark on this journey of 'blogging' i should first consider an introduction. but not so much an introduction of me but an intro to my better half... my dog. tallulah is her name, and spoiled is her game. she is half human, did i fail to mention that? i mean clearly, she handles the remote better than a lazy couch potato. more random strangers talk to me now that i have a dog. her unique appearance brings about good conversation, i guess. i've heard people question if she is a mutt, whipet, greyhound, etc, but very few people have even heard of her breed: a catahoula. people say dogs grow out of the puppy stage as they get older; however tallulah gets more mischievous with age... and her shoe fetish drives me bonkers, yet, i wouldn't trade her dirty habits for anything. her company, is undoubtedly cherished and eventful, to say the least.

she became my right hand woman almost two years ago as a puppy, coincidentally at a time in my life when i felt as if everything around me was basically starting over. new town. new friends. new church. new home. its always been the joy she expresses when i come home from work that turns a frown upside down. she is brilliant and regal. conniving and disgusting. needy and unpredictable. all of which, makes for the perfect package when it comes to owning a dog. having her around has shown me just how selfish i really am, and has taught me that i am now responsible for something other than myself. i love the responsibility, and to say that it has helped me mature, would be an understatement. she really is like my child. i miss her when i'm away from her. i delight in her happiness and hurt in her pain. and despite her bad behavior, at times, i am proud of her nonetheless. nothing she does can change that. she is my companion and my friend. i'll conclude with this quote that i love by Samuel Butler.

The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make of fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.

expensive taste syndrome

if i had a lot of money (which i don't), i'd constantly be buying things for my house. even now, being the poor, straight out of college, human being struggling to live pay check to pay check, that i am, i manage to find ways to pull new things into my home. i mean, its a refreshing thing to do, isn't it? its amazing how throwing a picture on a naked wall can transform a space. i am addicted to this feeling. unfortunately, my problem is that i am extremely picky and even worse, i suffer from "expensive taste syndrome" which inhibits me from enjoying or viewing artwork in my home due to the fact that everything i want to fill my walls with is so down right, ridiculously expensive. thus delaying my completion as i wait in anticipation for that one day when i can afford more than a lovely decorative couch pillow purchased from the nearest target. let me exaggerate on this notion by mentioning that i have a delightful fondness for the painter turned photographer, the one and only Loretta Lux.

her kitschy style has been deemed anywhere from 'monstrous' and 'creepy' to 'charming' and 'lovely,' yet ms. lux defines the imagery of the children to a tee when she says

"they are all things real children, to the consternation of parents, can be; awkward, distant, and unengaged, yet beautiful and fascinating in their own flawed way."

i first was introduced to loretta lux when i worked in santa monica, ca at a film production company one summer. my boss had two different pieces of her work displayed in his office. and to say the least, when i laid my eyes on those photographs, it was love at first sight. and since then, i've been searching for a bargain on any of her work. even stooping to the level of convincing myself i'd be satisfied with copies of prints rather than originals... up to this point in time (my search has gone on for more than 2 years and so far, the thought of purchasing a print doesn't even exist and a pricetag can't be traced) i had yet to come across a price tag on the photos. i assumed, at worst, i'd be able to afford at least one of these bad boys within my lifetime... and then, to my dismay i came across an internet site just the other day that sells her work. encouraging? not even close. my heart broke when i discovered an estimate price for her photographs: $12,000 - 18,000. even if i do become a worldwide known architect, i don't think i could talk myself into purchasing one photo for 12k. ms. lux, your work is beautiful, but even someone, like me, who suffers from expensive taste syndrome wouldn't risk taking out a loan for you.

if, once in a blue moon, any of your work happens to go on sale, ms. lux, i hope and anticipate that i will be the first to know. until then, i'll enjoy your photos from the luxury of my (cough) dell computer and satisfy my walls with second best.