just thinking.

one day i will....


decorate my room
read at least one of the books that's sitting on my nightstand
blog every other day
get ahead on school work
send hand-written notes to friends....just because
run 6 miles again
buy my mom flowers....just because
not crop-dust in public places (fart and walk away)
sync my iTunes account to my new computer
stop thinking about what i will do and just DO IT. 


today i am thankful for foggy mornings and being happy...all day....just because.

a happy heart

So. Monday night I had an appointment with my therapist* and as usual, she gave me homework. I failed my first homework assignment because I didn't do it, but I was game for another challenge...because well, why not. If I fail, I'm in therapy and we can have something else to talk about for the next week. Anyway, my first assignment was to meditate for 4 minutes, 3 days a week. I must say, I actually suggested the damn thing because I meditated the latter part of spring for an ACTUAL homework assignment/project (don't ask) and I loved the effects it had. Long story short, I didn't do 1 damn day. So, as I try to do, I forgave myself and focused on the next challenge. And, as Jay Z said: on to the next one. 

Her: "Have you thought about a gratitude journal? The research benef....."

Me: "HAVE I? Oprah is like, my hero, and she always writes about it on my Facebook News Feed."

Her: "...Oh. Ok. Why don't we try it for the next week. Just write three things a day that you are grateful for. Do you have a journal?"

Me: "Yup. I still have one from the journaling I attempted to get obsessed with about 2 years ago. I think I only wrote for three days, though, so I know there's plenty of space. If not, I threw it away. Yeah, I probably threw it away. My bad."

Now, what better way to be accountable for my homework than HERE, with my virtual friends. If I was nerdy enough to know the emoticon for a virtual high-five, I would do it but I don't, so suck it. Anyway, she suggested that I write down three things that I am grateful for that day or week or in general. Ever the eager beaver, read it and weep my friends: here is what I'm grateful for the week of Monday to Wednesday...or whatever.

1. Good Grades
I try hard in class....and I actually LOVE what I'm learning about...and I always got the "Best Effort" award in grammar school (maybe once in high school water polo) so pardon me while I boast. Also, my refrigerator at home is dedicated to millions of magnets and old Save the Date cards and this won't stay on.....or my mom took it down. Either way, boom: awesome.

First major assignment for my Clear Credential classes.
Side-note: I didn't just write the 60/60....just sayin'

2. Heaven's Gift Candle Scent; Febreze something something

These books are to remind me that reading is nice.
I have only read 2 of these. 

Tonight I will try to meditate with the help of this candle's sweet scent. mmmmmm. seriously it smells like you wish Heaven does and it makes my eyelids heavy, not because I accidentally inhale serious smoke every time I first light the match, but because it is a mix of lavender and vanilla and sweet sweet sleepy medicine stuff. And I bought it at Target....he-yo bargain.

3.  Karla From the Block's Playlist


FYI I do have iTunes playlists and a pandora account, but there are some songs that I am too lazy (or cheap) to buy - enter internet playlist. Also, I like that I can call it, Karla From the Block's Playlist. Hard-core.

Besides Oprah, I know we have been taught from magazine articles or books or whatever, about the importance of gratitude....of saying 'thank you' and meaning it. Shit, there's even a Veggie Tales song that sings, a thankful heart is a happy heart. I'm the first to admit that it has been more of a pavlovian response than something that I actually think about and really mean; like saying 'i love you' to someone I really love. I guess I am really accepting the challenge of awareness...of being aware of all the kick-ass things that happen every day in life. Well, whatever challenge it is, I just say: bring it on.

That's all for now, my friends. I hope you all have a good day where everything just goes so right that you have nothing left to do at the end of the day but just be thankful.


*Yes. I see a therapist. Yes. I will probably start sentences with, "well my therapist said...." Yes. It's OK to smack me when I do.

P.s. Don't be alarmed. I will probably change my background every other week due to boredom.

why i suck at being productive

it started off innocently. i just needed a break from my homework and i had to check up on this; something very important. then i remembered i need a new luggage/handbag - we all know i need one big enough to stuff a human child or a dog or 3 weeks worth of shit in my bag. so i fell in love with this new site  and browsed on there for about an hour.....then that led to haute look.com, which turned into gap.com, which linked to banana republic.com......then zara.com and duh, even hit up THIS (duh) and anthro, and nordy's, and target, and oh my god i could keep going (fyi that is NOT a website, i just didn't want to list every single one). needless to stay i am now a day behind in homework and just lost 6.5 hours of my life. shit. i am off to uncross my eyes now. 


here is some stuff i just wanna make out with:


http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=22876213&catId=JEWELRY-RINGS&pushId=JEWELRY-RINGS&popId=JEWELRYACCESSORIES&navCount=24&color=070&isProduct=true&fromCategoryPage=true&templateType=D


http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=19234467&catId=JEWELRYACCESSORIES-FEATURED&pushId=JEWELRYACCESSORIES-FEATURED&popId=JEWELRYACCESSORIES&navCount=82386&color=102&isProduct=true&fromCategoryPage=true&templateType=B1


http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/us/en/zara-us-W2011/120003/564010/DRAPED%2BTOP


http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/us/en/zara-us-W2011/120003/513012/BALLERINA%2BWITH%2BGLITTER


http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/elizabeth-and-james-stretch-silk-dress/3196289?origin=category&resultback=228


also, "i just want to make out with..." is a new saying i developed yesterday for things that indeed, i just want to make out with. i believe i told matty b. last night that i just want to make out with my new computer. oh yeah, i got a new computer! it's normal sized and prettttyyy....and i shall name her marla. yes, marla the macbook. good god i'm delirious now. good f'in night. 

Expecting the Unexpected

Monday evening, at the end of proof-reading my blog post - just about to hit 'publish' - my sister came bounding in the room with, "grandpa's dying....mom needs us....." I jumped and don't think I even turned off the computer. Needless to say, he passed before we got to say our "adios'". It was all too familiar: my family in a hospital room alone with a patriarch who was now deceased. We cried and hugged and cried some more every time my mom sobbed "he's gone; dad died an hour ago...." during a phone call to a sibling. All I could think about was a Mat Kearney song lyric, I guess we're all one phone call from our knees, and I said a quick prayer for the relative on the receiving end of that call. Even though he was 93 years old and just recently experiencing some stomach  pain, it still didn't seem right for him to be gone. It was just too soon; but then again, isn't it always?

Here’s a reflection that I wrote in a class 2 quarters ago that holds true to the events of this week - happy day y’all. Xo


Let’s face it. We’ve all had trials and tribulations to deal with throughout our lives. We’ve all experienced brokenness and hard times one way or another either through relationships that didn’t work out, to deaths of loved ones or finding out that someone ate your lunch when you had your name written on the box in the fridge. I’ve dealt with all of these types of brokenness and although it was damn near impossible to see the “goodness” in my father’s death 2 years ago, I have learned a great deal from that type of pain of a broken heart. Time heals. Love heals. Friends heal. My family heals me. I’ve found that love is way more powerful than words and just being “there” is an amazing gift that one can offer. Broken hearts are not painless. They are uncomfortable, sad, and make you feel vulnerable. The good news is that the pain is temporary. It may take a month or a year or two to overcome, but it is indeed temporary. Yes, the pain does come back now and again through calendar dates, old photographs, old stories, that sweet smell of the sandwich you wanted, but it’s all temporary! Life does and will go on and soon enough you’ll find yourself able to laugh again, to cry (yes, even the “ugly cry” in public), and look at the old pictures and feel grateful that you were able to just get through the pain of saying goodbye, but feel even more grateful to know that you were loved, wholeheartedly loved by a person that will always be in your life, even after their death.

So yes, we’ll still have some sad times, our hearts will be broken, our lunches will get stolen, but we will be able to get up and move on. All it takes is some family time, laughs with great friends, maybe even some time with yummy frozen yogurt, and our hearts will be whole once more.

Here I Am

You've probably been asking yourself, "Hey where's that blog Karla just started?" And you've probably been coming up with reasons on where I could possibly be. "Maybe she got lost in a tree or got caught in a fishing net? Maybe she forgot her password? Maybe she accidentally let the garage door close and she's stuck inside?" Well, my friends, I haven't had a working computer with internet for a week. It actually couldn't have come at a more convenient time since I started an online class last week - which reminds me, I should probably buy my books... Anyway, my brother-in-law let me borrow his Netbook last night which is smaller than my Instyle magazine and has some sort of skateboarder or bike rider with a helmet on the desktop and a "DECLINE" stick on the front which I really want to change to "FELINE" just because. Either way, it's good to be back to medium sized internet screens because my iphone was THIS close to making me cross-eyed.  Even though it's good to be back on a working internet computer, while typing on the netbook, I feel like this:

Although, I have a top on and no socks. And I'm not bald. And have smaller breasts.

I want my new computer now. For the record: APU doesn't send financial aid checks if you keep miscounting your unit load...2 times in a row. My bad. For now, though, I look forward to downloading inappropriate files on the FELINE just in time to give it back and blame everyone but myself for them. He already instructed me not to click on the Facebook links that are "sketchy" because they bring the viruses. So please, feel free to send me all sorts of those links. 


Anyway, I am looking forward to this week with a working computer that has internet. In fact, I was able to get ahead on some schoolwork AND go on Facebook without clicking on any "sketchy" pages - What are the chances?! Now excuse me while I watch the "Bachelor Pad" finale. And no, I'm not kidding. That's all. 

Posts to look forward to this week: tales from the Dodge Charger rental car and the family reunion where I went as Beyonce.

Enjoy a killer sunset from a walk I went on last night:

currently craving: more sunsets like this.

BACHELOR PAD TIME!!! Team Ben F. for Bachelor - ALWAYS

The First

So…uh… blogging, huh? Yeah, I get it. I’m a little late, but I prefer my life to go at a slow pace. Ya know, the slow and steady person doesn’t spill their drink or win the race or whatever. God forbid I waste a sip – pssshhhhh, not me sista. 

Anyway, I just turned 25 last week and along with the spirit of the one year older and wiser crap, I declare that this is the year of the open heart: being so open, that I practically sneeze and fart and reek of love and just plain damn positive loving, honest, happy, laughy (?), vibes. Yes those are lofty goals to achieve, but I will do my damn best to make that happen as often as I can. I will celebrate every honest comment I make and every time I don’t have to explain a joke to a friend. Yes, 25 will be a great year. So in the attempt of being open, I will start by blogging and being open with my thoughts, somewhat silly and questionable accounts (as much as I can remember) of nights out with friends and share the life philosophies of this 25 somewhat wiser girl, complete with a joke, maybe two, and other random crap that keeps me entertained. I hope you all like Oprah-stuff!! 

*not a good transitioner*

I've been reading a blog lately. It's an honest and enlightening blog about the philosophies of motherhood and life. The life philosophies, I get. I can apply their thoughts to some areas of my life, knowing that life is just pretty damn sweet - all of the time. But the motherhood philosophies, I don't get...yet. I don't know the type of love a mother feels for her child and the trials and frustrations of trying to "do it all", and basking in the milestones of children. From what I read, though, that's just really amazing and I cannot wait to really "get it" one day. But for now, I only know the philosophies of this twenty-something life and I can preach the love of friends. The love of waking up on a friends couch after a night that only started with, "let's just go to dinner", and laughing until it hurts recounting the details of what someone said to the bouncer or the taxi driver on the ride home, and the regret of that last tequila shot and recounting the morning with a friend's quote from the night: "Lets Del Taco this shit up." (-pk). Oh yes, that happened. I can only preach the love between a mother and a twenty-something, when that twenty-something one time crawled into bed with her mom, crying, holding each other so tightly, because she just misses her dad; still in pain, two-years after his death. Life comes full circle, doesn't it? Even in our weakest moments, there's nothing like a mother's hug to remind you about the earth-shattering, heart-filling, powerful, it's you-and-me-sista kind of love that only mother's provide.

So here goes….these are some of my thoughts. Take what you need and laugh at the rest. Oh, and if you have any thoughts/comments please keep them to yourself. JUST KIDDING!!! 

PS. That is the first of many bad jokes, just you wait...oh, it will be awesome.