It's Almost Here...

What's almost here you say?  Well Summer of course.  June 21 marks to first day of Summer and I could not be more excited.   I know I say this all the time but the summer season is definitely my favorite of the four seasons.  This summer is going to be spectacular.  I have made up my mind to try new things and get out a little more.

• Take a vacation.  My summer is riddled with vacations and mini-vacations.  I am marking the first day of the summer season with a trip to Florida with my significant other.  I don't care if the vacation is in Mexico, in your backyard, or downtown to the local market.  Just get out relax and have fun.
• Get on the grill.  Nothing says summer like a good old fashioned cook out.  Even if there are only 4 people in attendance.  Break out the charcoal and fire that grill up.  Oh and send me an invitation.
• Read a book or two.  Just as I posted in my Poolside Classic Reading post I plan on getting a lot of reading in.  It helps me to relax. Anything from thrillers to children's books to romance novels is good in my eyes. 
• Try a new look.  I plan to incorporate bright colors and plenty of shorts.  If you know me then you know that this is completely out of my comfort zone.  Wear what you want and be confident doing it. 
• Protect yourself.  If I have to say it in every post I promise I will.  Please pretty please wear sunscreen. I don't care what color you are, what ethnicity you are, or what you may be accustomed to doing you need to wear sunscreen.  
  
• Shop the farmers market.  Yep it is probably one of my favorite places outside of the beach.  Fresh produce, busy setting, and some of the best desserts ever.  Plus you're supporting local farmers. 
• Take a class.  A ballet class, an art class, or maybe even a swimming lesson.  Keep your mind busy.  
• Spend time with others.  Nope not just a message on Facebook, I mean genuine face to face interaction.  It is amazing how technology has linked us to places that we could only dream of but has made us so distant in regards people that live 5 minutes away.  A text will not suffice, lets take some time to get to know one  another.

I'll keep everyone updated on my adventures and I hope everyone has a great summer or at least great plans.  What are some of the things you all are doing this summer?  Drop me a line I would love to know.  

A Refreshing Story

This is a very inspiring article that came across my Tumblr dashboard about a shop owner in India who is teaching local children under a bridge.  It is so refreshing to see that there are people who want to learn against all odds.  I have shared it on every social network that I am on and I would like to bolster as much support for these adults and children who value something that so many take for granted.  The link to the article is below.

http://www.boston.com/news/education/2013/05/05/for-india-poor-school-under-railway-bridge/ki87HHI0oc1FLuvqjRALlI/singlepage.html


These types of people need our support regardless as to where they are from.

This Week In Retrospect: Pulling it All Together

So this week (like every other week) had it's ups and downs.  Some things didn't go as planned while others went so smoothly you would have thought it took months to plan.  However, this week did let me see just how focused I am in accomplishing the goals that I have set for myself.

Here are a few goals (some short-term) that I have set for myself that I hope to will accomplish

• Move into my own place (by myself)
• Blog on a regular basis
• Amass a substantial emergency savings
• Earn my certification in Spanish
• Exercise on a regular basis
• Pay off debt...ALL OF IT!

It may not seem like a lot but these are just the big ones.  There are plenty of other things to accomplish as well.  This week my main focus has been organizing everything so that accomplishing these goals happens with as little stress as possible.  Well we all know that nothing comes without obstacles but the point is to not become overwhelmed with what I do have planned and the obstacles when they come my way.  There is a lot of tedious work in becoming successful and living a fulfilling life.  This weekend I urge everyone to look at their goals, focus on the steps it takes to accomplish them, and go after them  with everything in your arsenal.