a brief reflection on thanksgiving 2013

we had a very happy thanksgiving and plenty to be thankful for.  we've reached a time in life when the holidays are really starting to change.  we're merging families, starting new traditions, and it feels like everyone around us is starting new a new chapter lately.

at risk of getting uncomfortably personal, gratitude is something that has become a much bigger part of my life in the last four to five years.  i have mentioned before my history of depression and it is something that has irrevocably impacted my perspective, my worldview, and my attitudes towards others (things which are still constantly evolving over my lifetime).  we all experience gratitude differently, just as we all take things for granted.  to me, it is impossible to list the infinite things for which i am thankful.  not in the sense of "there's too much to say," but in the sense that i am literally grateful for all that has happened to me.

as much as i am thankful for steve, and bert, and my wonderful family (old and new) i am thankful for depression, and dirty dishes, and traffic jams.  i am thankful for broken limbs and broken hearts.  i am thankful because literally everything in this world that has affected me has led to the beautiful life i am so lucky to have.  the concept of what happiness truly is, is new to me.  there is no state of permanent bliss manufactured by those fortunate enough to have endlessly wonderful things happen to them.  there is only what is and all is temporary.  if we are lucky enough to value our own lives, we should be thankful for all they contain.

time is not linear, space is not empty - eiko & koma

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liebster award!

happy thursday!! today i feel very honored to announce that lisa over at making life's lemons has nominated loosefromthezoo for a liebster award!
as i have already been nominated for a liebster award previously, i figured i would modify the process a little to make things shorter and sweeter.  if you've never heard of the liebster awards, head over to lisa's blog or my previous post to learn a bit more about what they mean!
here are my answers to lisa's questions!
If you could go back to any moment in time or time period, what would it be and why? if i were just visiting moments of history dr. who style, i think i'd try to find f. scott and zelda fitzgerald sometime in the 1920's to party hard.
if i had to LIVE sometime in the past i'd absolutely pick the 1970's.  i like being able to fly in an airplane, but i secretly wish the internet had never been invented.  i also rock a pair of bell bottoms pretty well.
If you had to sing karaoke, what song would you pick? if you get enough margaritas in me i can tear freddy mercury to shreds singing somebody to love.  (though let me add: with the exception of this song, as a general rule, i despise the music of queen.  and journey.  and fun.  basically all bands that sound like queen are terrible in my opinion).
If time and money were no matter what would you do? steve and i would visit every single place on the planet, excluding those locations that are likely to kill me from cold weather or political upset.  i would attempt to write novels in between sight seeing and possibly attempt to become a b-list actress if i got really really bored.
What is your favorite piece of clothing?? Pictures?? i have this emerald badgely mischka silk evening gown that i plan to wear to my friend's wedding in a couple of weeks.  it's pretty fierce.
What would be your ideal vacation? either a multi-country eurotrip, or a two month road trip of the continental united states (i may or may not have created an itinerary for the latter).
Do you have any hidden talents? What are they? i'm not sure what constitutes hidden... 
i can draw decently well.  i also have a small host of skills that have made me what i believe to be a decent actress.  i can do a variety of accents reasonably well and i can make myself cry real tears if i need to.
i can also do a hair-raisingly accurate lois griffin impression. and i can move my eyes side to side independently of one another.  but nobody ever wants me to.
 Flats or heels? varies week to week.  it definitely makes you feel like a beast when you can strut in heels, but if i had to pick one for the rest of my life i would go with flats for the comfort factor.
Where/when are you the happiest? hanging out with steve by a body of water. extra bonus happiness points when one or all of the following are included: snacks a puppy good music alcohol
If you had to change your name what would you change it to? maxine kaye
What's your favorite cookie? a cupcake
What item could you not live without? a car.
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the proust questionnaire & perfect happiness

happy friday everyone!

tonight i'm flying out to san diego to play with my sister and try on bridesmaid dresses and frollick on the beach and feast and drink and have a magnificent time!  i've lined up some great guest bloggers for you guys next week, so be sure to stop on by while i'm away!

the guest bloggers each answered some questions from the vanity fair proust questionnaire, which was a 19th century parlor game made popular by contemporaries of marcel proust.  the questionnaire was said to reveal a person's "true nature."  a couple years ago, vanity fair picked it up and used the questionnaire to interview a number of famous people.  i love getting to know how other individuals think, and i think getting to know more about bloggers you read is one of the best parts of the blogging community!

my favorite question on the PQ is the very first one;

what is your idea of perfect happiness?

each of the bloggers featured next week will tell you their answer (and a few other things too)!

i'm so excited to have a week of positive thinking on this blog!

so how would YOU define perfect happiness?

here's a few of my favorite answers from vanity fair's archive:

"laughter and peace of mind." - liza minnelli

"swimming naked in the sea." - ralph fiennes

"being in love while organizing my closet." - bill mahr

"The absence of fear, and the recognition that we are all on this ship of fools together. We may in fact go to the big ship’s Art Deco bar and have a glass of champagne, toasting our foibles." - carly simon

"watching my wife and children eat." - judd apatow

"getting to the point in life where i can accept that the truth is there is no perfect happiness." - mary tyler moore

you can take an interactive version of the proust questionnaire through vanity fair's website.  it will even tell you which person your answers were most similar to!  apparently i'm 97% similar to hedy lamarr!

see you all when i get back!

(you can, of course, expect to see a sneak peak at my vacay if you follow me on instagram)