Anyway

People are often unreasonable; illogical and self-centered; Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may acuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destory overnight; Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It is never between you and them anyway.
Anyway- From Mother Teresa

I saw this on a friend's facebook page today, and it's something I try to remind myself to strive for everyday. I often wonder about people's perception of me or if the things I say and do come across the way I meant them to at the time. But as my grandparents and parents have always said, "If you know you were honest and did your best then that's all you can do." So I'm trying not to worry about those kinds of things anymore. I guess I think about what people think of me most when a relationship ends and I start thinking about all the "why's" and "what if's" and what I can do to fix what I can with me. I found a quote last fall after my grandfather past away by John Wayne. He was someone my grandfather admired and I have come to admire over the years as well. "I have tried to live my life so that my family would love me and my friends respect me. The others can do whatever the hell they please." I feel like if I always do my best to make my family proud and I know I have friends that respect me then everyone else just doesn't matter.

Shopping Excursion

Went shopping on Magazine St. in New Orleans today with my roommate and her sister. In researching where we wanted to go we came across a store owned by one of the actors from our new favorite tv series Mad Men, Bryan Batt.
His store Hazelnut is just about the cutest thing down there and has great, unique gifts. I especially loved the New Orleans toile and wish I could afford some of it.
Anyway, it was a successful day of shopping, I found a new dress and am now on the search for the perfect shoes to match. Next stop...Perkins Rowe.

Full Circle - It's So Good to Feel Like Me Again

It's been almost exactly a year since I've blogged and I feel like I'm back in the same place I was then but so much has happened since. I've lost a grandparent; made a life changing decision to move home, change careers and go back to school full time; fell in love, and got my heart broken by someone I thought was going to be my best friend. Despite all the loss and scariness I'm still happy. I've made some new friends; moved in with one of my best friends who inspires me with her kindness everyday; discovered that I absolutely love nutrition and can't wait to finish my degree; finally get to be a true LSU Tiger; and discovering all the new things about the city I love.

Last Friday I went out with my friends downtown. First we went to Tsunami, a great sushi restaurant on the top of the Shaw Center overlooking the river. It is absolutely gorgeous at night and the drinks and food were awesome. We had a great time and I'm so glad I still have some true friends in BR.

This spring I've truely missed my friends from Jackson and college, but it was time to do something for myself instead of holding back to be there for everyone else. The first few months were exciting with a new relationship and finally doing something I loved, and then the beginning of summer was hell losing someone I thought was my friend and loved me. But I've learned some lessons and things about myself. I am so much stronger than I ever dreamed I could be and as Carrie Bradshaw would say: "Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous."