Simple Joys of the Week, September 30th Edition

Oh, well hello September 30th! Imagine meeting you here? I. can't. believe. that. tomorrow. is. October. It's insane! The fall is just flying by and before you know it, it'll be 2012. Hold on to your yoga mats!

In an effort to slow things down a bit, here are my simple, sensory joys from the past week:

Photo via boston.com

Hear: "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds

I know, I got on some sort of Ben Folds kick after my post about The Sing Off last week (where I gushed about him *just a bit*), so I had to go and download my favorite Ben Folds album that we used to listen to ALL THE TIME in college. The album is Rockin' the Suburbs and upon first listen it felt like I hadn't heard it in years. But, it's a great one, and it reminded me of one of my favorite love songs of all time, "The Luckiest." The words are so sweet--yet quirky--and it just melts my heart in a very Ben Folds way every time :) Take a listen below!

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Taste: Kettle Brewed Green & White Tea from Trader Joes

I'm a total H2O girl and can't get enough water in my life (I'm always sipping on it), but every once in a while it's nice to switch it up, and this beverage is my latest switch-it-up obsession. Yes, it has some Green Tea in it (aka caffeine) so I have to drink it in moderation and only in the morning/early afternoon (I know, how old am I?), but it's a great find for me. I think this entire HUGE container is only $3-4 at Trader Joes and it lasts for almost 2 weeks. Plus, it's unsweetened and has a very subtle mint taste, so it's not too overpowering in the taste department. Sometimes, happiness can be as simple as just bringing a new beverage into your life :)

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Photo via shescribes.com

See: Bridemaids (the movie)

I finally saw it! After months of wanting to see it, I saw it, and it TOTALLY lived up to the hype. I'm not sure if it's my obsession with all-things-Kristin Wiig or if it would still be hysterical without her, but it was one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. I laughed until I cried in the airplane scene (you know the one if you've seen it!) and it was extremely empowering to see female comedians really holding their own and rocking it out. A must-see for all my ladies out there :)

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My brushes and (messy) pallette.

Touch: Watercolor Brushes

It's been a week o'watercolors for me, as I'm now working towards my mid-October deadline for the book that I'm illustrating, Tranquilologie. I spent a good 5-7 hours painting on Tuesday and Thursday, and both days I got completely lost in what I was doing...so my simple joy? Holding the brushes, the soft, flowy feeling of painting with watercolors--blending the paint, watering it down, blotting it up--it's a completely tactile experience and I love it. On days like these I keep thinking, is this what being a full-time artist is like? Wow...

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Smell: (Decaf) Coffee

Sometimes, when I'm craving a warm, yummy morning treat, I brew up a bit of decaf coffee. It feels like a real indulgence since I gave up coffee over a year ago (yay!)--and if I'm feeling really crazy (or exhausted), I may even throw a few caffeinated beans in there with the decaf ;) Anyways, although I don't enjoy a daily cup (or three) of caffeinated coffee anymore, I still think that fresh-brewed coffee is one of the best morning smells around. To me it says, "here I am, day! I'm ready for you." Too much? Maybe, but coffee really is great...

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So see? It's the little things in life :) What brought you happiness this past week?

I'm off to a day of yoga and then a weekend of Advanced Teacher Training. Phew. Good thing I love yoga!

I hope you have a glorious Friday...

Namaste,
Mary Catherine