Cultivate YOUR Mind

“A man's mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind.”
                                         ― James Allen, As a Man Thinketh

NVP Quote - Positivity

"Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture... Do not build up obstacles in your imagination."        -Norman Vincent Peale

Remember.  It's all in your head.  If you cloud your mind with negativity and doubt, let your failures weigh you down-- life will never be what it can be.  It starts with you.  Think and do.  You can do it.   You will do it.

I Want Your Crazy

I was going through my notebook yesterday- this notebook (It is almost dead, less than 5 pages remain):

I must go and buy another notebook today.  I will feel naked without one in my bag at all times.

But, back to my original point-- I was going through my notebook yesterday and I came across this quote I had written down from Dave Eggers memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius:

"Oh please.  What would a brain do if not these sorts of exercises?  I have no idea how people function without near-constant internal chaos.  I'd lose my mind."

I also wrote down the page number (214).  I grabbed the book and pulled it open and, sure enough, I had highlighted that section and scrawled the words "Brilliant!"  There are a few other quotes in the pages following where I had underlined certain parts.  

(Does anyone else do this to the books they love?)

Are you one of them?

W's- Weekend & Writing

The wedding last weekend was *fantastic*!  Garrett, Eva and I had such a blast.  I got to see so many close friends from high school- many whom I haven't seen in way too long.  I realized what I was missing out on and, how much I really loved so many people who used to play a major role in my life.  (More to come on that during a later date.)

Eva was a dancing queen.  The second the dancing began- she did not stop.  She was on the dance floor for hours!  We did not leave until almost midnight.  (I was mighty proud of myself, because I danced too! I was even talked into doing the Cupid Shuffle... Impressed?!  HA!)

Ashley and Chase were the epitome of bride and groom.  Both were equally stunning.  The chapel they held the ceremony in was beautiful and, the reception was fun and tastefully decorated!  Not that I expected anything less- Ashley has incredible taste.  The happily married couple is currently enjoying a honeymoon in Europe!  (How *FUN* does that sound?!)

I dodged out on pictures all night.  But, Garrett managed to talk me into taking this one of the two of us:

Like our glasses?

Also this weekend, there was a very small carnival here in Mankato.  This carnival comes to town every Memorial Day weekend.  Eva rode on the ferris wheel all by herself!  I was so proud of her.  I could have cried.  (But, who are we kidding?!  Everything makes me cry lately.  Hello hormones!)

Such a big girl!

And, because I don't think I have enough to do during the month of June- I decided to participate in Camp NaNoWriMo.  This should be interesting.  Especially since my French course is even more overwhelming than I was expecting.  Yeah- after this, I have to complete 25 online exercises.  DUE TONIGHT.  How ridiculous! (And another 20 that are due on Friday... sheesh!)  I understand we are covering an entire semester worth of French in 5 weeks, but seriously?  Does this not seem excessive to anyone else?  As for Terrorism and Political Violence- incredibly interesting so far.  Just as I had expected.  In regards to Camp Nanowrimo- WISH ME LUCK! 

I'll leave you with a bit of inspiration:

"A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art."

-Jorge Luis Borges