Entre Nous.

Follow Me

Murad Osmann, a photographer based in London, has started a clever photography project called ‘Follow Me’ on Instagram. He and his girlfriend, a Russian journalist, travel the world documenting their sojourns in photographs. The theme of the series is always the same, Murad's girlfriend holding his hand and leading him forward to a variety of intriguing locales. It doesn't hurt matters that Murad's girlfriend is sartorially appealing in her variety of outfits and polish choices. The photographs are so visually engaging on so many levels.

Now you know

On the Get Crafty website they have a running thread on their message board called "Things I Wish I Had Known 10 Years Ago".  As I read through the advice I thought most of it was so pertinent to where I am currently in life.  So I decided to slim down the list a bit and now share with you my favorite 67 "Things I Wish I Had Known 10 Years Ago".

 

1. Always wash your face every night and apply moisturizer and eye cream. 2. Invest in your 401K at work. 3. If you have a dream job in mind, begin to work towards it now. 4. Keep a journal or blog. 5. It is important to schedule vacation time. 6. Keep learning. Read the newspaper, read non-fiction, take classes, attend lectures, ask questions, and travel. 7. Keep up with technology. Learn how to use the popular programs and some of the more obscure ones, depending on your interests. 8. Pay off your debt. 9. Try to always have a "get out of Dodge" fund. Save first months rent, last and deposit for an apartment and enough to live off of for as many months as you can squirrel away. 10. Take extremely good care of your back and teeth. 11. Wear sunscreen daily, even on your hands. 12. Live within your means. 13. Stay in touch with friends and family. 14. Take vitamins daily. 15. Pay off your credit card every month. 16. Take compliments gracefully. 17. Volunteer your time and talents. 18. Floss daily. 19. Wait until the other person is done talking to speak. 20. Give donations to your favorite charity. 21. Keep a spending diary. 22. Buy a house as soon as you can. 23. Send people surprise packages. 24. Drink 64 oz. of water a day. 25. Start therapy. 26. Laugh and be silly often. 27. Learn something new every year. 28. Get a passport as soon as you can. 29. Always have some savings set aside for emergencies. 30. Read anything and everything. 31. Have creative hobbies. 32. Get a pet. 33. Get over-educated. 34. Have nothing in your house that you don't know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. 35. Travel alone. 36. Buy your own tools and know how to use them. 37. Ask for help. 38. Invest early and often. 39. Learn other languages. 40. Spend time out of doors daily. 41. Don't preset requirements for the people you can be friends with. Befriend people of a variety of ages and with a variety of interests. 42. Improve your posture. 43. Learn how to cook one thing really well. 44. When depressed, go for a long run/jog/bike/walk/swim, and then come back inside and have a long hard sob in the shower and go to bed early. In the morning you'll feel better, even if the situation itself isn't exactly better. 45. Avoid people who are rude or condescending to service and wait people. It implies either a superiority complex or a lack of respect for hard work. 46. Tell everyone that you love that you love them on a regular basis. 47. Exercise everyday, even if it is walking from the back of the parking lot. 48. Wear a nude color bra under a white shirt. 49. Bare your soul to your dogs and cats. 50. Make and keep friends of all ages. You will learn so much from older and younger people. 51. Hold the door open for other people. 52. Order a glass of water with every alcoholic drink. 53. Learn to read maps and follow directions. 54. Treat yourself to expensive haircuts. 55. When you need help, ask for it. 56. Don't be afraid to turn 30. 57. Read everything. Reading fills in the gaps in your life experience, and gives you a wider view of the world. 58. Beauty doesn't last forever, so you need to cultivate your mind. 59. Always have some money that belongs to only you. 60. Don't be so serious. 61. Do what you love. 62. Take care of yourself first. 63. Stay in touch with friends from High School and College. 64. Don't date a man less intelligent than you, or one who does not have an intelligence you appreciate. 65. Trust your instincts. 66. Really listen to people when they are talking to you. 67. Relax and indulge when you can.

[This is a copy of post which originated on November 5, 2006, was republished on January 17, 2011 and is still just as pertinent today.]

Decembergram

December summed up in photographs via Instagram.

   

• Happy New Year from Morrissey the cat. I can't help torturing him with headpieces and bow ties.
• I made sure to have a batch of cowboy caviar on hand to go along with my NYE champagne float. It's a southern tradition that if you consume black eyed peas on the first day of the New Year you'll have good luck throughout the year.
• My most "liked" photographs of 2013 via #memostatigram.

   

• I created custom wrapping paper using Instagram photographs via Minted.
• The ice skates decorating the front of my house.
• It isn't Christmas without bubbles and holiday nails.

   

• Kraken rum and "real" coke in a candy cane shot glass.
• Best. Card. Ever.
• The traditional Christmas morning breakfast of waffles with strawberries and whipping cream along with mimosas.

   

• Signage at Scotty Browns.
• Imbibed a Bellini at Scotty Browns prior to catching a screening of American Hustle.
• The last snowfall of 2013.

   

• The ceramic Christmas tree painted by my paternal Grandmother and gifted to me by my Father last Christmas. It's one of my most cherished Christmas decorations for sentimental reasons.
• My colleague and I had dinner at The Willows Inn. Clearly we couldn't keep up with the wine and juice pairing.
• This gingerbread mug is in heavy rotation during the month of December.

   

• The white feather tree is given pride of place on the kitchen counter.
• First moscow mule of the season from Daphne's.
• A chill rolled into the San Juan Islands bringing temperatures that felt like a whopping 4 degrees.

There you have it. Adieu December.

Follow me on Instagram: @HissAndTell