Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Forever Young


"There comes a point in your life when you’re officially an adult. Suddenly, you’re old enough to vote, drink, and engage in other adult activities. Suddenly, people expect you to be responsible. Serious. A grown-up. We get taller, we get older, but do we ever really grow up?
In some ways we grow up. We have families, we get married… divorced. But for the most part, we still have the same problems that we did when we were fifteen. No matter how much we grow taller, grow older, we are still forever stumbling. Forever wondering. Forever… young."
-Grey's Anatomy 


Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Hey Stephen

Okay, first attempt at guitar, and I have the blisters on my fingers to prove it!   I can't play and sing very well yet but I'm proud that I've learned ONE whole song!   Taylor Swift.... of course.





Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Dream On...

So... I've decided I'm going to start taking guitar lessons.  I've always loved music, loved to sing... but have never been able to play any instruments well.   I've always dreamed of being able to play my favorite songs on guitar, but sadly I've never been able to do so!  I'm always so jealous when someone has that talent.   I miss playing music.   So, I'm going to start again!   .... I'll keep you posted.

Just for kicks, here are a few songs from my old band "Losing Indiana."  We were just a small little band, but we played shows and had so much fun.  Seems like a million years ago now!   I co-wrote these two songs with my former band-mate, Chad.  So.... yeah.





Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Cause I'm feeling like a criminal.

Whatever happened to Fiona Apple?   I went to see her in concert when I was 15.   I went with my best friend, we were both obsessed with her!    I'm pretty sure Fiona was either drunk or high through the whole thing, and about half way through her set she crawled under her piano and started rocking back in forth.  About that time my friend took pot from these 40 year old men sitting next to us and started smoking with them.    Somehow I managed to cover for her when her mom picked us up an hour later.  Good times, good times.  BUT I did get a pretty rocking Fiona Apple t-shirt from some man on the street, which I still sleep in these days.  And I'm pretty sure I still have the "No Fur" sticker that PETA was handing out at her concert, stuck to one of my old journals.   Oh Fiona.... you take me back to those angry-teenage-girl-days of my youth.  


Thursday, September 15, 2011

Knowing is better than wondering


"A couple hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin shared with the world the secret of his success. “Never leave that ’till tomorrow,” he said, “which you can do today.”

This is the man who discovered electricity. You’d think more of us would listen to what he had to say. I don’t know why we put things off, but if I had to guess, I’d say it has a lot to do with fear.
Fear of failure, fear of pain, fear of rejection… Sometimes the fear is just of making a decision. Because, what if you’re wrong? What if you’re making a mistake you can’t undo?


Whatever it is we’re afraid of, one thing holds true… that, by the time the pain of not doing a thing, gets worse than the fear of doing it, it can feel like we’re carrying around a giant tumor.

The early bird catches the worm. A stitch in time saves nine. He who hesitates is lost. We can’t pretend we haven’t been told. We’ve all heard the proverbs, heard the philosophers, heard our grandparents warning us about wasted time, heard the poets urging us to seize the day.

Still, sometimes, we have to see for ourselves. We have to make our own mistakes. We have to learn our own lessons. We have to sweep today’s possibility under tomorrow’s rug, until we can’t anymore, until we finally understand for ourselves, what Benjamin Franklin meant:

That knowing, is better than wondering. That waking, is better than sleeping. And that even the biggest failure, even the worst, most intractable mistake, beats the hell out of never trying."

-Grey's Anatomy

BTW, I have a Tumblr now... any of you have one?  If so, send me your link so I can follow you!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Weather


The weather in the south is a strange and unpredictable thing.  Seasons change suddenly, and are sometimes forgotten all together.   More often than not, the summer heat scorches into the 90's, only to be followed the very next day by 50 degree weather, and snow the next week.   Tank tops turn to jackets and flip flops to boots overnight.   Temperatures rise and fall suddenly, sirens wail in the night, tornadoes and lightening leave a wake of destruction in their path.  

That's what he was to her, a sunny day interrupted by torrential rain, a tornado that passes through... or sometimes even a moment of sunshine on a gloomy day.   He was as unpredictable as the weather, a powerful force that often left a wake of destruction in her path.

(From my WIP)

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

"May the odds be ever in your favor."

Last Wednesday I was headed to the pool without a book to read!   I had just finished "The Castaways," (Very Good) and hadn't picked up anything else.    So, I grabbed "The Hunger Games" off of Jake's nightstand and decided to give it a try.   

I couldn't put it down!!!!   I started reading that afternoon and finished it early the next morning.  I immediately drove to Barnes and Noble to buy the second book in the series, "Catching Fire," and stayed up until 4AM reading, and finished it!  The next day I bought the third and final book, "Mockingjay" and finished it on Saturday!  Needless to say, I accomplished nothing last week because I was so obsessed with these books.   If you haven't read them yet, run, don't walk, to the nearest bookstore and pick up your copy.  You won't be sorry!  Here's a little information about the first book, "The Hunger Games," by Suzanne Collins: 

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love
."

I definitely recommend these books.  And best of all, they are making a series of movies that come out in March!  I can't wait!


In other news..... I'm now without a book.... what should I read next?  




Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Songs on Repeat

This weeks playlist:



“From the moment I wake, from the moment I sleep, I’ll be there by your side, just you try to stop me.”



“Got this feeling that you can’t find, like this is city is on fire tonight. This could really be a good life, a good good life.”



“Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead.”



I <3 Dia Frampton.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

You and I

I hate "The View," but I love love love this song.



Monday, August 15, 2011

Poetic License


"The scene is a memory and is therefore nonrealistic.  Memory takes a lot of poetic license.  It omits some details; others are exaggerated, according to the emotional value of the articles it touches, for memory is seated predominantly in the heart."
-Tennessee Williams (The Glass Menagerie)


Sunday, August 14, 2011

Tan Lines

Wow I never blog anymore!  I really have to get back into the swing of things.  I've been traveling so much this month.  I was in Nashville helping open a restaurant the first week of this month, then off to the Bahamas!   I earned Arbonne's Incentive Trip to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas!  Every year Arbonne offers a trip that you can earn based on sales and sponsoring, and this year it was to Atlantis. It was so amazing, beautiful weather and beautiful surroundings, made even better by the fact that it was free!   And best of all, the entire UofL team and coaches happened to be staying at the same resort since they played conference games there this past week.  I got to hang with the team all week, even got invited into the coaches private cabana, got to go to the Welcome Dinner with the whole team, AND we went to the scrimmage and thursday night's game.  Pretty cool!  I'm sad to be back.   I have a just 5 days home before I leave for Michigan on my next adventure.  I have plenty to do before then, so let's hope I don't lose my mind!   Here are a few pics of our trip:
Jake in front of the Royal Towers of Atlantis, where we stayed.




The water is so beautiful there!
Me and my Arbonne gals Sandy and Cindy.
 
 Me with Peyton Siva! Point Guard for UofL.
Us with Mirra and Van Treese.  We look so short!
The most beautiful beach I've ever been to!
Thanks Arbonne!!!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Killer Cosmetics

  
Killer cosmetics? 
Your lipstick could be toxic
By Suzanne D'Amato
The Washington Post



Lipstick tainted with lead. Mascara that contains mercury. A hair-straightening treatment that slicks your tresses with protein ... and formaldehyde? As three recent controversies show, the world of beauty can be downright ugly. Take the lipstick debate. Last fall, a study gave women reason to worry about their war paint: The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested 33 lipsticks for lead. The group found that 61 percent of the lipsticks tested contained a detectable amount of the contaminant, and several exceeded the Food and Drug Administration's lead limit for candy. The FDA does not set lead standards for lipstick. 

Even a minuscule amount of lead is a big problem, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics spokeswoman Stacy Malkan said. "What the companies will often say is, 'There's a little toxin in one product and you can't say it causes harm,' " she said. "But none of us uses just one product." Lead is a neurotoxin that accumulates in the body over time, which is why tiny amounts ingested regularly could be hazardous. 

Not everyone sees lead in lipstick as such an issue. "Lead is in our environment, even without all the industrial production of chemicals," said John Bailey, chief scientist for the trade association Personal Care Products Council. "It's part of the earth. ... I don't think it really warrants these alarmist conclusions." 

Right now, concerned lipstick lovers have few options. "The only way to find out if your lipstick has lead is to send it to a lab and pay $150," Malkan said. 


It's considerably easier to find out if your mascara contains mercury. Traditionally added as a preservative, the substance is rare in cosmetics these days. When it exists, it's generally in cake mascaras rather than wand versions. It may be listed as thimerosal. 

In eye-area cosmetics, the FDA allows mercury if no other effective preservative is available. 
"It's a potent neurotoxin that can cause brain damage in developing fetuses," Malkan said. 

Bailey said the FDA uses a voluntary reporting program for cosmetics ingredients; the program has no current registrations that report mercury being used in the eye area, he said. 

"We certainly can't count on a voluntary reporting program," Malkan said. "We need a real reporting system." 

To see whether any products you use contain mercury or other potentially hazardous ingredients, she recommends the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Web site (www.cosmeticdatabase.com), which lists information on more than 27,000 cosmetics and personal-care products. That may seem like a high number, but it's a small fraction of what's on the market, Malkan said. 

The Skin Deep site analyzes only over-the-counter products. Salon treatments are not examined -- and for controversial ones such as the Brazilian Keratin treatment, that's unfortunate. The BKT, as it's known, is a hair-straightening process that has smitten women in search of silky, frizz-free tresses. It also contains formaldehyde, a carcinogen. 

Beauty products and treatments don't have to get FDA approval before hitting store shelves; the FDA mandates such approval only for color additives in cosmetics.

Use products that are pure, safe, and beneficial!  

 









Thursday, July 14, 2011

One Day and Something Borrowed

Between the hospital visits and the sleepless nights after, I've been doing a lot of reading lately.  I've just finished "Something Borrowed" and "One Day."   Do you see the pattern?  Yup, I like reading books that they turn into movies. 

Something Borrowed 
by Emily Griffin
This was a pretty good book... an easy read.   I haven't seen the movie yet, so I'm anxious to see how it compares to the book.    The story follows 2 best friends, Rachel and Darcy, one the classic "pushover" (Rachel) and one the popular, pretty one (Darcy).   As Rachel turns 30, she finds herself in a sticky situation when she falls in love with Dexter, Darcy's fiance.  She must choose between the love of her life, or her oldest friendship.   Overall... I would recommend it.  The ending was a bit of a surprise, and I'm not sure I cared for the way things were finalized, but nevertheless, it was worth reading.

The second book that I just finished today is a must read!  

One Day
  by David Nicholls. 

It was fabulous!  I finished this one in three days and could not put it down.  It's the story of Dexter (strange that two books in a row had main characters named Dexter) and Emma.  Dexter and Emma meet the day they graduate from college and become good friends.   Each chapter begins on the anniversary of day they met, July 15th.  Year after year we read about their separate lives, their amazing connection through time, and the struggle between friendship, love, and timing.  It's a wonderful book that has left me thinking and wanting more.  I highly recommend this one... you have to read it!  I'm so excited for the movie that's coming out soon starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess.   It looks so good, I can't wait to see it!





Sunday, July 10, 2011

I will try to fix you.

It's been a long time since I've written.  It's been a hard couple of weeks.  My best friend has been in the hospital and just lost her twin boys at 5 1/2 months.   Now more than ever I see just how badly we need things to change in this world.   How does anyone go through times like this without faith and hope?   Life is so precious. 



Sunday, June 5, 2011

Shuffle

Hello friends, it's been a while!   Hope you are doing well and loving life.  Here's a few of my favorite songs at the moment, hope you enjoy them!   I'm a sucker for anything stripped down or acoustic. 

Coldplay: "The Hardest Part"

"And I tried to sing, but I couldn't think of anything. And that was the hardest part."

Lady Gaga "Speechless"

"And I know that it's complicated, but I'm a loser in love so baby, raise a glass to mend all the broken hearts of all my wrecked up friends."

Silverstein "Replace You"

"I used to settle but now I make a scene you won't believe."

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Talk Derby!

It's official, Derby time is over.  : (   Here in Louisville, the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby are filled with festivals and fun!   It starts in April with "Thunder over Louisville," one of the largest fireworks display in the world, which is always a lot of fun!     And of course, the main events are the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby.   The Kentucky Derby has been a tradition here in Louisville, at Churchill Downs, for 137 years!  This year, we went to the Oaks, which is the race for the Fillies.   We had a blast!   We didn't bet (I like my money too much to gamble), but we had a great time watching the races and the people!  Lots of celebrities come in town for the festivities.  I got to meet Betsy Johnson, it was very exciting!  

When you go, you of course have to wear a hat, or fascinator! 


And to the Oaks you wear pink to support breast cancer.  
You can feel the horses thundering down the track!
Jake and his Mint Julep 
I had a "Lilly" 
My Mama and Sister in Law

We had a great time all day, until it was time to leave!!   The parking lot always fills up super early for Oaks and Derby, but for these events, people that live around the area will sell you a parking spot in their yard.  So we decided to park in some random persons yard, and were shuttled by a golf cart to the track.  As soon as we got in the golf cart, my brother said he "set a pin" on his IPhone so that we would know where we parked.  Yeah.... the pin was not set.    It took us over an hour to find our car after the race was over.   Not one of us out of the six had any clue where the vehicle was.  NOT a good day to wear stilettos!   Haha!   
In other news......

Congrats to Plum Pretty for winning The Oaks!

And Animal Kingdom for winning The Derby!

There is no better time to live in Louisville, Kentucky!  I love my city!


Wednesday, April 6, 2011

$100 off Arbonne RE9 Sets

Special Offer: $200 Arbonne RE9 Advanced Anti-Aging Skin Care Sets!



RE9 Advanced by Arbonne is the best anti-aging system on the market. It contains 9 Anti-Aging Elements and is clinically proven to start working in 24 hours to dramatically diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The set retails for $323.00... that's over $100 in savings. 

The set includes a wash, toner, day cream, serum, eye cream, night cream, and free neck cream.

Ask me for your free 5 day sample today. This offer ends April 15th.

To learn more about Arbonne visit my website!
Or email me at: ashleystone@insightbb.com 









Monday, April 4, 2011

Piece by Piece

I finally feel like everything in my life is falling into place. 

 

"He is giving to the tired one power; and to the one without dynamic energy he makes full might abound. Boys will both tire out and grow weary, and young men themselves will without fail stumble, but those who are hoping in Jehovah (God) will regain power. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not tire out.”
-Isaiah 40:29-31

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

QOTD

"If you want to do something, you'll find a way - If you don't, you'll find an excuse..!"
-Jim Rohn 
 

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Drama Drama Drama


For the first time in a long time, I can honestly say that I have no drama in my life.  And let me tell you, it feels great!   All my life I have found ways to either personally create drama, or to throw myself into the middle of everyone else's drama.... and it's been exhausting.   I'm a fixer, always trying to fix everyone else's problems.    But the truth is, some people don't want to be helped, some problems can't be fixed, and some people will always have drama in their lives.  But, I'm not gonna be one of them anymore!   I have some friends going through some stuff right now, and though I want to be there for them, I also realize that for my own sanity, I need to just stay out of it.   I can't fix it, I can't make it better, and no one has asked for my help....so for once, I'm going to steer clear of the drama.   Whew.... it feels so nice to be boring!