don't hate on mondays

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I am starting to feel bad for January...everyone hating on it, including me. And then there's Mondays. The worst of these being Mondays in January.

Lets not denying the fact that we all might need a extra swig of coffee on Monday morning {or something like that}, but maybe some positive thoughts thrown in the bucket would't hurt either. Like instead of complaining about scraping the wet sloppy, crusted-on-the-windshild-like-a-left-out-casserole-pan  snow off my car at an ungodly hour of the morning feeling chunks of icicles fall down my boots....I could decide to mention how pretty outside it looks when all the fresh snow is still draped on the trees. Or the fact that thirty degrees feels like shorts weather and I didn't lose my breath when I walked outside.

Okay so maybe that one's a long shot.
But do you know what I mean?

Today, this Monday, I had a great day at work, enjoyed spending time with the people I saw, got to run off some steam at the gym and now have several hours to relax and catch up on whatever non-nonsensical Netflix show I decide I like this week.

I like what Leney had to say today about Mondays. Maybe they wouldn't be so bad if we spoke good things about them. Thanks for the words of wisdom, lady.

So there you have it, Monday, I'm standing up for you. You're not so bad after all. Thanks for being our fearless weekly leader and taking all the crap-ola for it.

Allie's Giveaway

Hello friends! I just wanted to pop by during this non-stop work week of mine {can I get an amen??} to tell ya'll to go check out Allie's $100 gift card giveaway. She's awesome. These ladies are awesome. And let's be honest, we all could use an extra hundred bucks! I am truly proud to be one of Allie's sponsors and her dog Casey is pretty irresistible. Check out a Day in A Joyful Life here to enter.

Happy Thursday everyone.Wipe those brows and keep on keepin' on.

Enter Gabi Valladares, Author of Kneadle & Bread

Today I'm so excited to be able to introduce you to Gabi, blogger over at Kneadle & Bread. It's been so fun to get to know her over the past year through blogging and I love reading her posts about design, personal life, fashion, and sweet treats. She's just one of those ladies that you wish you could have a wardrobe consult with at least once a month. Since she's planning to graduate from college this May, I thought she'd be perfect to offer some advice on what transitioning into the real world looks like and how to pursue what you really love. Thanks Gabi!
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On Graduation

Hi all you Streetlights to Stars readers!  My name is Gabi and I blog over on Kneadle & Bread.  I have to say, I’m absolutely honored to be guest blogging for Erin today!  As I’m about to transition from college to the “real world,” Erin and I thought this was a great opportunity to share thoughts and advice about entering the real world.
Currently, I’m in my senior year at Northeastern University - yep, the five-year university located in Boston.  I’m involved with multiple student organizations, I’ve done two co-ops (full-time work for six months - no classes, yay!), and I’ve held many internships.  But, all of that is about to conclude this May when I walk across the stage at TD Garden and receive my diploma (place holder until the real one comes in the mail, but you get the point).  With that in mind, graduation seems just as scary as it does exciting.

Though moving on to the “real world” can be intimidating for anyone, I am lucky enough to feel prepared for what lies ahead.  I had the chance to attend an incredible university that provides students with tons of real world experience.  This is where my most important piece of advice comes in - get experience.  Whether you’re working on campus, in an internship, or part-time somewhere, get experience in your field.  This will give you a leg up against the competition, but it will also boost your confidence.  When I walked into my first co-op, I was probably more nervous that I had ever been before.  Now, I have an event planning internship and when I walked in for my first day last week, I felt ready to take on any task my team threw my way.

If your work schedule is a little too crazy to take on an internship or another job, write.  Yes, write.  Find a publication that writes about your field or start your own blog on the topic!  Ever since I started blogging, I’ve had every single interviewer ask about it.  I think it helps to set me apart from their other interviewees, but most importantly, it shows that I’m really interested in my industry.  Writing shows dedication and motivation, which is something every interviewer is looking for in a new hire.  Spend some time each week writing a post/article/entry on something in your field that interests you, a recent article you might have stumbled across, or important news that relates to your chosen field.

Now that you’ve heard my advice on making the transition from college to work a little easier, what are you doing to ensure a (mostly) seamless transition?

Photo cred.

series #642 {episode 2}

Alright people...happy Tuesday. Above is your writing prompt for the week if you'd like to participate -- I hope you do! Link up your blog below, I can't wait to read yours!
Two people who hate each other stuck in an elevator for 12 hours...

My timing was perfect, as usual. I stepped into the elevator with full confidence I'd arrive at my desk in three point five minutes. I've timed it every day since I started. Before I could think another word...boom! Elevator's jammed. Ugh. I'm going to be late. Which is almost worse than being stuck in an elevator. And to put a cherry on it, I happen to be trapped in this square suspended space with the woman from the front office. Her disgustingly perfect blonde hair like ocean waves splashed over her shoulders. Not a thread of her fitted tweed jacket out of place as she turns that ostrich neck eastward to catch my eye. I can feel my face redden as I avoid her glare. "We're stuck," she says with that pipsqueak voice of hers. I don't acknowledge the painfully obvious comment. We are indeed stuck. In my living nightmare. Get. Me. Out. 

why are you still buying your text books?

Thinking about buying text books stresses me out. Probably because I never did when I was in college. {I did read them!} Our university had a rental system. And you know what? It saved me thousands of dollars by the time I was all finished.

I just got news of a service that is doing the same thing for any student...Campus Book Rentals.
You can rent books for half or even 80 percent of their regular price, keep them for however long you need, and highlight the heck out of em. {you know you love that highlighter.} When you're done, ship the books back {free shipping both ways} and get paid the next time your book gets rented. Bam. Genius.

What's awesome about this program is that every time you rent a book, some of that money goes to Operation Smile, an organization that fixes kids' cleft lip or palate and helps them live a healthy, improved life. They create self-sustainability, promote volunteerism, and increase global standards of care.

Check out their Rent Back program for more info and a seriously easy explanation of how it all works.

So rent text books, save yourself some money, earn money back, and help change kids' lives.


This seems like a no-brainer to me, am I wrong?
Let me know how it goes, you university student friends of mine! And pass the word along for goodness sakes.

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note: this is a sponsored post but  all opinions expressed are genuine. i fully support and encourage this service.

on experiencing happiness

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So I'm on this new happiness kick thing. Maybe it's the start of a new year. Maybe it's just because. But I seem to be really interested in learning about why people are happy and how we truly experience that in our life. It's this fascinating to anyone else??

I'll save you from the shpeal (sh peal?) (speal?) about true happiness being found in good health, lots of friends, good life choices...or even money. Do people still think money buys happiness? I thought we were over that one.

Anyway...there's a lot out there that says 40 percent of our happiness comes from our mindset about things and only 10 percent of our circumstances. (the other half is genetic..) And you know what? I think I'm buying it. Here are the biggest things I'm learning:

Learning how to be content in what you have is the best medicine for materialism and a case of 

the "gimme-s."

Realizing that really good or really bad things that happen to us are temporary external factors, and that we as humans are actually very resilient. We can choose to be positive in whatever circumstance we are in.

Change in our mental state takes time. But we can work on it by taking one day at a time and being grateful for what we have in that very moment. 

I realize that some of you have gone through some really hard things and want to discount advice from a girl who's life has been, in general, pretty fantastic. My intention isn't to discredit your own feelings or experiences -- life is hard and bad things happen.

I simply want to encourage us to be people in this world who experience happiness because of who they are and not what they have. There are so many times when I have failed at this myself but this joy thing is contagious. And we have the opportunity to encourage one another in that daily.

What is your take on happiness? What makes you happy?
How are you able to experience joy or happiness and encourage others in that?

If you want to read up on this a little more read this book or watch this documentary

series #642 {episode 1}

Okay here goes nothing...it's TUESDAY. and that means it's time for episode one of series #642.
Here are the rules::

Use the prompt above
Write your own take on it (this week make it 100-150 words)
Post it on your blog and link it up here so everyone can read it >>


Please make sure to include a link back over to streetlights to stars, let's play fair now! :)

Can't wait to read your posts!
Here's mine:

A smell and where it came from...

It barged into my nostrils like a rude neighbor through the front door. Everything in my being rejected the putrid stench whose origin was still unknown. There was no relief. It crept its way through my senses until it reached my brain. Almost instantly I knew. Yes! Now I know. The haunting odor was indeed emanating from under the old wooden couch frame. I fearfully lifted the thing up as if I were competing in the Iron Woman contest. I opened my eyes. There, on the carpet, lay a graveyard of once edible baby carrots stashed there by the four year old living in my house. Better call the exterminator.  

making history

My Christmas present from JT this year was a pair of tickets that would cure the phrase "I've never been to an NFL game before."

 Best. Gift. Ever. 

We went to go see the last regular season Packer/Viking match-up --  a bit of a nail biter if you ask me. Packers lost. I'm still in denial. But it will still make the history books as the first Packer game I've ever been to. 

I didn't take more pictures because I was too busy screaming at a bunch of players on the field who couldn't hear me.

Rematch this tonight at Lambeau. 

What are ya'lls opinions about football? {it' okay if you really hate it ;) }

What kinds of things do you like to do with your men that you both enjoy??

introducing...

So I got this book for Christmas called "642 Things To Write About" and it's awesome. Inside are different prompts to fuel some creativity and get you writing about things you normally wouldn't. The space to write in the book is small so it doesn't feel like a huge commitment.

I've had so much fun starting out with this book that I thought I'd post some of what I've written. As part of the blogging community, I think part of what we are meant to do is inspire one another. My hope is that this will encourage you to maybe try your hand at writing little bits of reality or fiction that you otherwise wouldn't have.

Wanna join me? Look for these posts every Tuesday and write your little heart away from the prompt. If you end up posting it on your blog, let me know and I'll put a link up on mine to yours anytime that week. Fun, right? Right. Cheers to sharing creative writing! And happy new year!