The bicycle necklace

I have always been a jewelry admirer. When I was little, I loved buying the cheap plastic/metal rings from the 25 cent machines they have at supermarkets. Rings were my thing. I've never been into expensive fine jewelry even though as I've gotten older, I definitely do see the difference between choosing quality over quantity. For the most part, I am attracted to vintage costume jewelry but when I was in my teens, I'd usually buy the type from Forever 21 and it was oddly satisfying. When I first adopted Djinn Djinn, I kinda stopped wearing jewelry regularly because I found that he would get scared if I wore bangles or long necklaces while holding him- the things you do for your furry pals! But recently, I've started to wear jewelry a bit more often as my outfits were becoming way too boring without it.

Unfortunately, most of my current jewelry pieces aren't really practical for everyday use (most of my jewelry have been gifts from friends and family) because they're too flashy or they just don't go with everything I wear regularly. I've only recently started to buy a few pieces that I've chosen myself. 

I saw this bicycle necklace at TJ Maxx and it immediately caught my attention- it was a bit more delicate than what I'd normally pick but somehow, it just spoke to me. If a piece is going to be delicate, I love it when it has a subtle quirkyness. Normally, I would just admire a piece and then walk away but this one stayed in my mind as I continued shopping so I decided I had to have it. One of the things I made sure before buying it was that the chain would hit my neck at a good spot- I'm so weird when it comes to necklaces, I definitely can't deal with choker necklaces or the ones that hit right in the center of the curve of the neck- you know the spot I mean? I feel like I'm literally being choked! 

As soon as I put the necklace on, I felt a special connection to it. I suddenly realize that the bicycle kind of had a symbolic meaning for me. I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed by adult life lately and often feel like I'm kind of taking a slower route than most of my peers. It's as if I'm bicycling my way through life while everyone else is driving a sports car. It's weird how that is, isn't it? Even though this isn't fine jewelry, I can see myself wearing it for a long time. Plus, it's really just a charming little piece.

What kind of jewelry do you like? Are you a necklace, bracelet, earring type of person? Or do you wear all of them at the same time?

A letter to myself on my birthday

Dear self,

It's your day today. Take a minute and stop being so hard on yourself. You're not a naive little teenager anymore (you haven't been for a long, long time) so  feel comfort in knowing that even though things are not at all how you expected, you're getting somewhere even if it doesn't feel like it. Honestly, when you were younger, you never thought much about what it would be like to reach this age. One thing was for sure: you often had 90s kid "visions" of your future grown-up self wearing jeans and a blue chunky knit sweater while running errands in a little red sports convertible car. It's funny to think about now. Not only do you not have a red convertible car, you don't even have a car at the moment. AND, these days, you wouldn't choose a red convertible if given the choice.

Life at this very moment- from here and for all the upcoming tomorrows- is so unpredictable. When you were a teen, you never once thought about death or how fragile life is. You also never thought about how easy it is to stand in your own way. You're making plans but you're more than prepared to bend them. You are making progress even if you are taking baby steps. You are so much stronger than you believe. What really matters most is how you feel about yourself at the end of each day- and remember, keep trying to live a life in which should someone have anything bad to say about you, no one would believe it. Celebrate another year of life- I love you so much.

California Cold Rush

"If you want to learn what someone fears losing, watch what they photograph..."

Farmville

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant." - Robert Louis Stephenson

The trail of 100 Giants

After a 2 week trip into the wilderness, I'm not gonna lie, I'm extremely glad to be back to a normal life with wifi (#firstworldproblems, eh?). I like to think I love nature a bit more than the average person but even I am prone to cabin fever now and then. 

However, a recent venture into the trail of 100 trees in the Sequoia National Forest was an unforgettable and humbling experience. Trees that are as tall as dinosaurs (and probably nearly as old, too- well kinda but not really) almost makes being human seem like a very insignificant thing. How could these trees survive life for so long even during extreme droughts? You should see these trees that are literally located on top of the world (seriously, you have to take a long winding road to see them but thankfully it's not too winding unless you get car sick easily...).

I was literally speechless upon seeing the enchanting meadows that graced me with their presence- straight out of a scene from Bambi, I tell you (except, you know, not animated). I probably would have lied down in the center of a meadow had it not been for all the bees buzzing around the charming yellow flowers (oh well, I suppose they were there first...).

So basically, what I'm trying to say is that if you come to California, after the excitement of Hollywood and Disneyland wears off (because honestly, it will), a visit to the trail of 100 giants is, well, a 100x more magical than any man-made attraction...