Keep home close to you no matter where you go

Here's a great gift idea for someone who is about to move far from home...or for anyone who takes great pride in where they live, where they have lived, or where they're from.  Such a fun way to keep your roots close to your heart, no matter where you may travel.  

Maya Brenner's state necklaces:

{had to represent with my home state of CT!}

{for those who want to add a little bling}

{for those who prefer silver}

The perfect laptop bag for traveling!

As you can probably imagine, I have been doing lots of things to prepare for our big move to Singapore in April.  One fun item on my 'to do list' was to find the perfect laptop bag for traveling.

I had some very specific criteria this bag had to fit:

• had to be lightweight
• had to have a shoulder strap
• had to be durable and not stain easily
• had to have a top zipper
• had to fit nicely beneath an airplane seat without having to be put it on its side
• had to have multiple compartments to keep my belongings organized
• had to easily fit my laptop, iPad, wallet, etc without looking too bulky
• had to look professional so I can bring it into client meetings

I'm happy to report that, after going into countless stores and spending lots of time browsing online, I finally found it!!  I present to you, the perfect laptop bag for traveling, MZ Wallace's Bedford Nylon Bag in black:

{side 1}

{side 2}

{love it!}

This bag has:

• 4 outside zip pouches of all different sizes
• durable shoulder straps plus a detachable cross-body strap
• 10 interior pockets to fit everything from your cell phone to your business cards to your iPad
• a detachable mini purse
• 2 side pouches to hold your drink or an umbrella
• gold hardware and a red interior to make it stylish
• and the list goes on....

And, to top it all off, it's made from a durable nylon that is both water and stain resistant!  You could use this as a baby bag, a gym bag, a laptop bag, or just as an every day purse.  It doesn't get better in my book and I couldn't be happier with my purchase!  

Big news...we're moving to Singapore!

I have some very big news to share - PRG and I are packing up and leaving Boston to move to Singapore in April!  I have been offered a promotion, and we decided now is the time to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and embark on an adventure!  It would be a lot more complicated to move if we had a mortgage and kids, so we are feeling pretty good about our decision to continue to rent this past November.  It's crazy how quickly life can change! 

In the spirit of our impending move, I came across this speech that I have to share because it's just too good not to.  And, even though I'm excited about my new job, this reminds me how I can't forget to step back and try to find 'balance' despite all of the challenges and changes that are sure to come:


30 Seconds Speech by Brian Dyson, President and CEO, Coca-Cola Enterprises during his speech at the Georgia Tech 172nd Commencement Address Sept. 6, 1996:

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them – work, family, health, friends and spirit … and you’re keeping all of these in the air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends and spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for Balance in your life.

How?

Don’t undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Don’t set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.

Don’t take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

Don’t let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

Don’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

Don’t be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us to each other.

Don’t be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don’t shut love out of your life by saying it’s impossible to find time. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings!

Don’t run through life so fast that you forget not only where you’ve been, but also where you are going.

Don’t forget, a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.

Don’t be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.

Don’t use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.