Everyday Minerals | Everyday Naturals

hey Taylor!

I've always wanted to learn to play an instrument. I tried in junior high and started playing the viola but I didn't stick with it, but I have taken on the challenge again but this time I'm learning the guitar. I'm still horrible at it, but I've been working on it now for almost a year and I absolutely love it. I don't love getting sore fingers though from playing which I guess would be the equivalent to you not liking to get your hair wet =p But it is something I have grown very passionate about and I'm really happy I'm finally doing it. Music has always been a big passion of mine, and I know that "starting a band" has gotten quite popular, but that's not exactly what I want. Actually, that's one of the reasons that stopped me from doing it. But I really I do it because it makes me happy and it makes me feel a little more accomplished. I feel like if I can teach myself something new then I'm not just wasting my life.

I fianlly took the plunge and moved out on my own. I come from a very tradtional Russian family that thinks its completely normal to live at home till you get married. I have been wanting to move to San Diego for a long time and a couple of weeks ago I decided that I'm just going to do it. So next Friday I'm moving out on my own! I got a new job and signed a lease basically in one day. I feel so free and independent. Follow your dreams!

great quote:
" So often times it happens that we love our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key"

I went zip lining in Cabo last year and it was amazing. definitley not something I ever thought I would ever have the guts to do but it was amazing. The last jump you had to run and hurlyourself off a cliff, pretty rad. Probably one of the most fun things ever looking back!! Surfing is next on the list but I have a fear that like the board would hit me in the head as I fall or something...
xo sarah
BTW Im obsessed with your hair, maybe you can do a blog on what you do with it!

I always wanted to try sand tobogganing. While this may seem to be a simple activity, there is no place that allows for such activities at home, so I actually had to plan this when I went for an overseas trip.

The thrill of feeling the wind against my face as I slid down was well worth it and I made the climb up about 5 times (we had to climb back up to the starting point for each slid down which was exhausting). It was a fun and memorable experience

OMG I don't think I could ever try surfing!!! too scary!

One thing I did this spring/summer that I have been trying to make myself do it PARASAILING!!! OMG it was the most amazing thing in the world! I felt like a bird..YES just like that Nelly Furtado song " I am like a bird" lol

You must note I am afraid of water so this was a big step for me

I did it in the beautiful Punta Cana, Dr

My "something" is so simple, I shouldn't even talk about it. + I didn't really want to do it but everyone kept telling me I had to, so I learn how to drive a CAR.
I never really needed one cause I was living in Paris, and nobody use cars in Paris, we take cabs or subway, it's like NY.
But when I got 27 we moved to the ocean so I use my cruiser (bike), with my newborn baby behind me.
Finally at 30 I had another baby, and we moved to Provence, so I had no choice but to pass my driving licence, my teacher was great. Now I drive my Prius and I'm glad I did it.
I so envy you Tay to surf at Manhattan Beach, I love it there.
J'adore la mode, J'adore Taylor, J'adore ce blog

I have always wanted to skydiving and finally did it for my 21st birthday! It was exhilarating and I loved every second of it.

For My I would have to say that it was taking the plunge and getting married

I went grass sledding (not sure if there is an official term for it)

It was pretty fun and I felt like a kid

This may sound odd but I finally tried using an elliptical.

It was so weird after I got off I still felt like I was going around and around lol

I went comping for the first time

I love your post Taylor.

surfing is something that I have always wanted to do!!

For me it was indoor sky diving in Las Vegas, I figured if there was a place I could do that it would be in Vegas. I did it last year and it was an absolute blast!

Surfing looks like so much fun! That's definitely one of the things on my bucket list!

Something that I've always wanted to do, and finally took the plunge was seeing a show in London. My grandmother and I finally said, "Let's go...next week." It was insane to try to pull together the vacation in a week (including getting my passport ahhhh!), but it was so worth it. My gma and I had an amazing time and got to see Phantom and Les Miserables at Her Majesty's Theatre. We explored London with no set plans, and experienced the culture without the feel of being a tourist.

I'll never forget that vacation!

This might sound silly or pathetic but at 33 , I finally learned how to swim. I love hanging out on the beach but previously just splashed around or doggy paddled.
When I got the opportunity to spend the entire summer in the woods at an artist colony , I knew I finally need to learn as apart from making work , campfires and BBQs , swimming in lakes near the cabins , the Atlantic and in the ice cold rivers was the main thing to do.

So I bit the bullet and asked sat my local YMCA if they did adult swimming classes. Since they do not , I got private instruction from a trainer I had already worked with for weight lifting (I compete locally in women's power lifting).
Anyway , 3 classes a week for a month got me to the point that once I got to the residency I could do laps in the lake. If was fun and keep me in shape even though I was far from a gym. I also felt alot more confident around the water as I never really let anyone other than my husband know that I couldn't swim.

No one will think this is a big deal, but it was for me.

Fear of heights, borderline crippling.
I avoided over half my life, driving over the Mackinaw Bridge. It's 5 miles long and the road is grating, so you can see far, far down. Not crossing that bridge was keeping myself and my kids from some of the best times of our lives. (I didn't know they would be the best, but learned)
One year, I decided to get over it.
I got behind the wheel and drove the car WITH a camping trailer behind it, over that bridge.
So I cried three quarters of the way. Scared, happy, excited cry, I don't know.

But after that, you couldn't keep me off that bridge and on to the most beautiful country that I've ever seen.

i don't live in Michigan anymore, I miss that bridge. I keep my old license plate of the Mighty Mac on a wall, to remind me of my conquest.
This is really no big deal, now that I re read it

To swim. I feel that I should have learned by now, but I'm so absolutely terrified by being underwater that I've pretty much accepted the fact that it will never happen. Made peace with it and all that. I loved seeing your pictures though because I really love and miss being by the beach.

ok, I'll give this a shot. Until I was 38, I pretty much did everything imaginable. But what I really wanted was to find the right guy to settle down with and have a baby! I did that last year!! It was with a wonderful man that I've known since I was 22. It has been the craziest and scariest ride ever- this having a baby thing! You'll see someday, if you settle down. I now have a baby girl named Sophie and she's been just as exciting as zip lining in Belize, whale watching in Alaska, Scuba diving 100 feet and seeing a shark and barracuda! :-) Continued success to you Taylor!

I once took flying trapeze lessons at a circus school in SF. I have a fear of heights so it terrified me to be on top of the platform, lean over and finally let go but you know, it was such a thrill! But still... not sure if I would do it again, LOL!

The thing I always wanted to do is to live abroad in another culture and learn. My sister has done it in 3 different countries which was totally inspiring and made me very sure of what I want. But getting older and wiser, I had more responsibilities and deeper relationship with loved ones and bigger shoes to fill, more to let go, and my determination to explore the whole for myself faltered.
So one day the opportunity to leave sprung up, I took a while to consider and spoke to my mother about it and here I am living 10,000 miles away from home, I can't say I am completely happy but I am contented with my decision.

Almost a year ago, the idea of getting the back of my neck pierced popped into my head. Well, as time passed the idea settled and grew and planted its roots in my mind, but I never did it because I was afraid of possible regret soon after I would get it done. As well, not to mention the pain and discomfort that would come with a piercing like this. Well, time continued to pass and hopes that this thought would go away from my mind began to diminish as this thought only became stronger and more daring. Finally, about a month ago after weighing all the pros and cons of this piercing, and finding that I was getting to a point where my desire for this piercing was only consuming my thought capacity, I figured I would finally just give in to myself. With careful consideration and care, I now am able to say that I took the plunge and got the back of my neck pierced and it's surprisingly cute and I am very happy with it. I love it because it's edgy and provocative, but still can be easily hidden for those moments I prefer to maintain my more modest appearance.

Bests,

Sara Essoufi

I was married for 24 yrs. I have 2 amazing daughters. I was in an unhappy relationship for a long time, but
I wanted to make sure my daughters didn't have to split their time between 2 houses. So I stayed in the
marriage until my youngest was ready to start college and I filed for divorce. It is the most exhilarating
thing I have done! Best of luck to you, Taylor.

I always wanted to start a blog. I know that everyone has one, and I'm not trying to be famous. I just wanted to share my love of fashion and being a diva wife, mother, and teacher. I love my job and wouldn't trade it for the world, But, I am also a true lover of fashion.
Next on my list, learning how to sew.

I always wanted to travel but was never able to find anyone who was able to go with me, and being a bit shy, I was afraid of traveling by myself.
Five years ago, just before my 30th birthday, I got tired of waiting for a friend to be able to go with me so I took the plunge and booked a trip to Ireland. By myself. And I LOVED it. It definitely made me come out of my shell, and has awakened a love of travel, of experience new cultures and meeting new people. I now make a point to travel at least once a year whether its a solo trip or with friends. My next trips are Italy in November and Thailand in March.

Taylor,
I love how you share these sorts of things on your blog, as well as the fashion related stuff.
You look so great in these photos, despite the fact your wearing a wetsuit

I've always wanted to play the guitar and finally, after years of saying "I will", this summer I did it! Bought myself an acoustic guitar at a thrift shop, searched the web for tutorials and so far I've managed to learn easy chords and a few simple songs.

I'm really proud that I took the leap!

ive always wanted to surf, but the most thing ive always wanted to do is learn how to fly planes. I am only 16 and i am learning how to fly planes right now. It is so amazing and the view once we take off is breath-taking. Another thing ive always wanted to do is bungee jumping. On the last day of school, all of my friends and i went bungee jumping to celebrate that our hard work is over and summer time has began. ohhhhh how i miss those days now im stuck going to school waking up at 6 am each morning taking ap classessss aaaaghh

It was the summer of 1987. I was spending a few weeks at my Aunt and Uncle's cabin on some lake in Alabama.

It was an important year for me, musically. I was 11, heading into the 6th grade and music was my life. I brought my "jam box" and some cassette tapes with me to Alabama that summer. Debbie Gibson's "Out of the Blue" is the album I played over and over. Even though I haven't heard the sound in years, I can still remember the clack-clack-clack that the cassette tape made indicating it was time for me to hit eject and flip that baby around.

I sang along and I sang loud. I wouldn't discover until years later how terrible of a singer I actually am.

... but, you see, the summer wasn't all about Debbie Gibson. I was at a crossroads in my life both musically and romantically. I was hearing bands like Def Leppard and Guns 'n Roses on the radio and MTV. I was falling in love with the long haired rock 'n rollers.

Then I saw them. The two boys at the cabin next door. They had long hair... and guitars... and I was IN LOVE. I would linger outside all day just to catch a glimpse of them. The would always walk side-by-side with their guitars over their back, long hair glistening in the sun.

I longed to be cool enough to be invited to hang out, but I was an 11 year old chubby kid from Indiana with red, wild natural curls. These boys were older, wiser, more mature. I have no idea how old they were and I didn't care.

... but we had a connection. Music! I just KNEW these guys would LOVE me if I had that gosh darn Def Leppard album. I just KNEW that they would be totally enamored with me if I were blasting "Pour Some Sugar On Me" on my little black Emerson jam box instead of "Shake Your Love!"

Frantically looking through my tiny suitcase style cassette holder, I longed to find something cool enough to play. I had to get their attention! Bangles. Tiffany. Michael Jackson. Richard Marx.

I knew I didn't have a chance. I just spent the summer getting as close to them as I could as often as I could. My aunt knew what was up. She knew I was experiencing some serious unrequited love. Summer came and went and so did I. I left the lake before the boys and my Aunt later wrote me a letter saying that they started playing their guitars and singing outside in the evenings.

It was a good thing I had returned to Indiana. I probably would have just died.

My summer hits:

"Shake Your Love" Debbie Gibson

"Heaven is a Place on Earth" Belinda Carlisle

"I Think We're Along Now" Tiffany

"Faith" George Michael

"Pour Some Sugar on Me" Def Leppard

I quit my mundane "sales clerk" position in America's "retail giant" to pursue my hobby of designing and selling my own line of handknits!

I clicked on and read the wrong blog.

I can't help it. My life is a comedy of errors.

Good day.

wow so if I wasn't terrified of drowning in the ocean I would love to surf. however, my biggest dive into it moment has to be...no lol's allowed...falling in love. I met someone online this year and I couldn't have fallen deeper or faster. I have so many walls and reservations from being so hurt from my very first relationship that I never dated. I watched all my college girlfriends go through stupid jocks and total tools and crying constantly over these worthless men. good thing I waited for my moment. because it is the best thing that has ever happened to me...and apparently turned me into a SAP. oh well. xo k

I've always hated to see myself on TV or pictures and tried to avoid camera. It is some kind of phobia, I can't even breath normally when someone is filming nearby. I really want to overcome this fear so I sent an application for a small role in a movie and I got it!! I'll really try to do my best. To me even bungee jumping is nothing compared to this

When I surfed the first time it reminded me of that song by the Beach Boys with the lyrics "catch a wave and you're sitting on top of the world" That's exactly how it feels when you're on top of the wave. With the wind and the spray of the salty ocean in your face. It's the most fun and the most tired that you'll ever be at the same time.

I felt like I accomplished something. You overcome your fears. It's scary the first time. The ocean is a very, very powerful force and it takes you where it wants to take you. You're trying to take something from it, an experience, a thrill and you fail so many times until eventually just by persevering and keeping at it, you eventually succeed, even though it may only be for a short duration or a fleeting moment. Once you're up you can hardly believe that you are actually doing it. I felt exhausted, beat up, and elated. And after about an hour I was back in the ocean again trying to repeat my experience. I surfed on and off until the sun went down and I was sitting on my board at night and there was still about a dozen surfers out there with me. The water was warm, the air was warm and still, and I remember thinking to myself, "I'm not cold at all." It was in January and I remember thinking, "if I was at home right now I would be freezing" and I was just so glad to be where I was at that moment.

Since I've moved to an area close to DC, I've wanted to go up the Washington Monument to check out the view. I've always hesitated since I'm afraid of heights and you also have to plan well in advanced to order tickets or get there super early to stand in a long line for hours to get tickets to go up. I've made many trips to check out the museums and National Zoo, but never went up the Monument. Well, I finally did it in June, with a little help from my parents who came to visit. They had tickets sent to them so there really wasn't an excuse. Here are some pics taked through the windows at the top (as far as they let you go) of the Monument.

My friends and sisters were always insisting that I should go with them on the roller coaster rides or any rides actually. I've always refused because I'm really terrified of heights. -_-o
They kept insisting that I should at least try it out, and I finally agreed because I was also tired of being afraid.

"OHMYGOSH!!! and HOLY S#*T!!!" Was the only thing that kept running in my head when it was happening.

It was one of those that has pictures taken of the passengers, so people can buy them if they chose to. The look on my face was a look of abject horror. hehehehe....

I can't say that I'm cured of my being scared of heights or that I want to get on another roller coaster anytime soon, but after this roller coaster ride, the other rides in the fair looked mild and tame in comparison. I now happily go on the other rides and I will eventually work my courage to try a bigger roller coaster soon (probably).

i have always wanted to get a tattoo, i think they look really cool if you do it tastefully.

beckham and his tattoos really inspired me to get it done, i think he looks gorgeous with them.

i only got a little tattoo, but i am happy i did it.

I have had really bad eyesight for some time. I work for an optometrist so i'm always hearing horror stories about the eyes......

BUT I finally got lasik eye surgery about 4 years ago and i absolutely adore it. There is nothing better than waking up in the middle of the night and being able to see the alarm clock without looking for my glasses!
It also makes my life easier--no more fogging up when you go from a store out into the hot air......
I can actually see at the beach and in the water without having to worry about losing a contact (or even worse losing my glasses)...