A New Adventure of a Stylish Kind

In December, one of my dear friends hosted a small get together to try on some jewelry from a company I had never heard of, Stella & Dot. We sat around, drank wine, chatted and tried on beautiful jewelry. Little did I know that within the course of a couple months, I would host my own party. It was so easy. After looking through the catalog and finding that almost every page was either dog-eared or circled, I thought that might be a sign...

So I signed up as an Independent Stylist with Stella & Dot just last week. And since then have been watching trainings, ordering more sample pieces and getting everything together before helping countless more friends, family and future friends have the same fabulous experience.


Check out the renound jewelry yourself at my webiste: www.stelladot.com/jessiemorris 
Join my Facebook Fan Page! http://on.fb.me/hk8yvp

Here's to a new journey for this Adventurer!

Eye on the Prize!

After much ado, lots of (fun) research and prioritization of the "Places to See" list - the next destination has been selected!

Peru!!!

I MUST cross off another continent and after word that Machu Picchu will be closed next year due to some conservation efforts, it bumped Peru up to the top of the list! I will give Machu Picchu all the credit for my eagerness to visit Peru. I mean look at this......

I just have to see this for myself and take my very own picture. TravelBugPhoto just wouldn't be complete without it!

But don't be fooled, I won't spend all 2 weeks or so drooling over this wonderful view. There's so much more to see and do in Peru! Stay tuned as the adventure is planned out!

I'm told it's all in the ATTITUDE

The night after my birthday, I decided I'd try to get some extra sleep and go to bed early. 10:30pm or so. I know, real early, right? As I had just barely drifted to sleep I was jolted awake by the sound of a car alarm. Now, this wasn't super alarming (no pun intended) as this is not entirely unheard of (again, no pun). This is thanks to the ultra-sensitive and ultra-annoying multi-sound alarm across the street.

At second thought - it sounded pretty familiar. My head popped up off my pillow and I dashed out to the living room where Michael was on the computer. "Did you hear that? It sounded like my car alarm..."

He threw on a jacket, bolted out the condo door and down the stairs to the covered carport while I watched from behind the side of the blinds in my bedroom window. Then my heart sunk as he motioned up to me to grab my phone. Uncertain if there was still someone next to my car, we called 911. Before the police arrived, we had discovered that they had already ran away leaving my driver's side window smashed and a massive amount of tiny little glass pieces all over the inside of my car like snow on Christmas Eve. My center console was open and debris was tossed all about. Several cars down, a neighbor was less fortunate and had both side windows of their 2-door coupe shattered and even more belongings tossed around.

Several cop cars and one canine unit later, we were told there was no evidence they could use. And although we could file a police report, there was likely no way we could identify who the culprit was. Apparently this part of town is divided between two local gangs and all property within range is free game to be tagged, broken and sometimes even stolen. Funny how that piece of information isn't willingly offered during a condo sale agreement....note taken to research police reports.
Of course, this left me in a fury. How is it that "these kids" could break windows costing owners hundreds of dollars, take personal property and then just skip away scot-free? (Yes, I'm pretty sure they skipped.) Probably leaving them more confident for next-time around. And there's absolutely nothing we can do about it? Nothing besides not park in my reserved and covered parking space? Nothing besides emptying the contents of my car every evening and locking up the steering wheel with a Club?? Letting them..... WIN??? Nuh uh.

Well, the irony in it struck me the next afternoon as I sat in Quality Auto Glass' old and very used waiting room. Just enough space for three chairs and a table full of old magazines. There was a framed quote up on the wall, pointed out by the very kind mechanic, that talked about "Attitude." This was the piece that I remember:

It's 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react.

So I took that little piece of wisdom and decided to make a list of all the good things that have come from my car being broken into. Here is the Top 10.

1. The inside of my car has finally been vacuumed clean.
2. The perpetrator now has discs 4 through 9 of "Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship At A Time," a well-known audio book by Keith Ferrazzi. Hopefully, they learn something from this. 
3. They can now charge their iPod while driving and simultaneously listen to it through an audio cable. Now THAT's one high tech burglar!  
4. I got to work from home, on my couch, while sitting in my sweats right up until my Auto Glass appointment.
5. I made friends with a very lovely local police officer named Officer Kohn, and had an educational discussion about the happenings of juvenile punishment in the Seattle metro area.
6. I met some new neighbors (in their pajamas) and bonded with old ones.
7. I now have the chance to get darker tint on my front windows - take that you interstate pervs!
8. I now, more thoroughly, appreciate a nice solid atuo glass window - very underrated, mind you. Especially going 60 in 40 degree weather.
9. It didn't rain once while I had no window. And we're in SEATTLE!!! What are the odds??
10. I still have a car.

The Help

In hopes to keep my road rage ay bay during my hour commute into work and hour drive home every day - I've started listening to audiobooks. In just a matter of about two weeks, I finished the 18+ hour audiobook for The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

The book takes place in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960s during the height of racial segregation. It is narrated in the perspective of three southern women - one white, young woman who has just returned home from graduating college and two black women who are maids for middle to upper class white families. What caught my attention about this book was that it not only provided the point of view of various lives, it also wove in significant historical moments in a way that makes you feel like you have lived through them.

When Skeeter returns from college to find her beloved maid, Constantine, is gone she does what she can to find answers. In the process, she is exposed to a whole new world that exists in Jackson, MS - the ugliness of racial segregation and cruelty of hate crimes. And she crosses lines that turn much of the town against her as she fights for what is right in the only way she knows how - writing.

The touching storylines and various points of view were very captivating and the three female narrators were top-notch. The southern accents portrayed in the audiobook version is something you definitely do not get from reading the printed book. Although I would undoubtedly recommend this book to anyone, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook. It had me thinking and occasionally speaking in a southern accent!

So what are you waiting for? Go out an get this ASAP!

Holiday Cards!

Holiday cards now for sale on TravelBugPhoto!! Check them out!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/travelbugphoto

New TravelBugPhoto Website!

Drumroll PLEASE...... After much ado TravelBugPhoto has launched a new and fantastical website!

This new website showcases photos from travels around the world - Landscapes, Animals, Cuisine, Portraits, Architecture, and Botanical. And it provides contact information on how you can order your very own TravelBugPhoto photo! :)

Check it out and give your feedback!

http://www.wix.com/travelbugphoto/home

An Air Force Graduation!

Just recently I was so fortunate enough to head to Texas for my brother's graduation for the Air Force Basic Training. This is an 8 1/2 week program to weed out the weak and give all Air Force members a basic knowledge to then move on to their specialties.

The trip kicked off with a 4 AM wake up (let me call out that this is CENTRAL time, not a good time change for a west-coaster). We headed to Lackland AFB for an early Airman's Run and a later Coin Ceremony to kick off the graduation weekend.

Let me begin by saying that this was the first time that we had seen my dear brother since he entered the physically rigorous program 8+ weeks earlier. An hour or so after the Airman's run and on the way back from concessions, my mom and I walked past a line of Airmen in their dress blues when one smiled at her with a formal "Good morning, ma'am." After a quick passing, I stopped my mom who had continued to casually walk back to our seats to say "That was Scott!" With utter disbelief and a confused look on her face, this was the moment it became clear to me that my own mother had not even recognized her own son as he had marched by. Maybe it was the uniform, the shaved head or the unbelievable physical transformation - but it happened. And I laughed.

We sat through the Coin Ceremony rich with Air Force traditions as they played the National Anthem, gave speeches and handed out specialized Air Force coins to all the trainees turned Airman.

After the ceremony, the Airman were ordered to remain at their position until family members had met them. That first mutually tearful hug made the entire trip. And a very sincere and direct "I'm so glad you're here" broke my sad attempt to keep it together.

After greeting everyone, we headed into the auditorium for the Honors Graduate Ceremony - because, yes, my little brother graduated with honors! This requires being in the top 10% of 611 Airmen/Airwomen graduating from this round of basic training.

Afterwards, there was some serious business to be taken care of. This involved tracking down a Reese's cup and Snapple and consuming them at record speed. See, a huge part of Basic Training involves very strict rules. A trainee cannot go anywhere or do anything without being directed to do so by their Military Training Instructor - a new pretty term for Drill Sargent. So when an Airman gets free reign to eat, drink, or go anywhere else on base besides dorms and drill pads, they go a little crazy!

Exhibit A:

Post-scarf and with Base Liberty for the day, we toured around Lackland AFB to check out the several Mini Malls on the base as well as a comprehensive tour of all the various places the squadron has had to run, do drills, complete crazy tasks, etc.

The next day consisted of the Graduation Parade where the Airmen and women were sworn in. The ceremony consisted of a marching band, flags, more traditional AF songs, and speeches from some very decorated Air Force members.

Post-graduation parade, we were able to meet up and explore the Squadron's dorm to see where they've been sleeping for the last 8 1/2 weeks and to see what they've been cleaning daily. :) I do have to say there is nothing like the military to help a fella get organized. Check out this tidy space!

After exploring base, we were able to abscond with our newly graduated Airman on his Towne-Liberty pass for the day portion of two and a half days. We explored several off base military stores, did some shopping and OF COURSE visited the Alamo and the Riverwalk nestled in downtown San Antonio, TX. All very amazing. Here are some pictures from those ventures:

Likely in part to the several 4 am wakeups, the trip seemed to be a long break from reality. It was so amazing to see family and to be able to witness this graduation which is so symbolic of all the hard work and effort dedicated in the last 8 weeks. To see how it's transformed my brother in such a great way is so amazing. I'm so proud of my little brother for having the drive and dedication to not only make it through this training but to pass with flying colors!

Congrats, Scottie and I wish you the very best in your upcoming technical training.