A Notably Notable Christmas!

Hello,

It's me.

WOW. Where has the time gone? When did we all get so busy? 

It is not a Thursday, but I just watched Zoella's "A Very YouTube Christmas" tag, and I thought it would be fun to answer the questions as if we were having a NotablyNotable Christmas Party!

Here's the video for anyone interested:

Questions -

Who would bring the best dessert?
Monica! She's the Pinterest Queen <3

Who would carve the turkey? 
I'm going to go with Jayme, lol. Would we have turkey, though? Probably not.

Who would take the best photos?
Brian, hands down. Have you seen http://instagram.com/unicornhairflips ? Oh look, a shameless plug.

Who would look the most glam?
Our own little Beauty Guru, Sharmaine.

Who would have the tackiest Christmas jumper?
People would get on my case if I didn't say myself for this one.

Who would make the worst Christmas jokes?
I think I'm the winner for this one as well. Worst jokes in general.

Who would fall asleep first?
No contest. It would be Jayme.

Who would be the last one dancing?
Sharmaine. She's the youths.

Who would bring the worst gift?
I would bring the worst gift on purpose.

Who would be in charge of Christmas music?
I'm going to delegate this task to Monica. She picks all the jams.

Who would be in charge of Christmas dinner?
If it wasn't me initially, it would probably end up being me. 

Who would make the best snowman?
It doesn't snow here, but I'll give it to the boys.

Who would win at all the games?
Not Jayme! lol. I don't want to jinx it, but I have a history of winning party games.

Who is most likely to knock over the Christmas tree?
Sharmaine, if she's had one too many drinks lol

Who would be the best Santa impersonator?
I want to say me just because I think I am the one with a Santa jumper, but it would have to be one of the guys. 

We promise to be up and running again in 2016! I hope you enjoyed this quick, cheeky little post. We hope you have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year! 

Look out for a Motivational Monday post on January 4, 2016 :)

Motivational Monday || Belated Father's Day reflections

"My father didn't tell me how to live, he lived and let me watch him do it." -- Clarence B. Kelland

Yesterday was father's day, as I'm sure many of you realized :). And I, like many of you, enjoyed some much-needed family time, ultimately concluding with a long drive home to San Diego from LA. Ok, so the drive is not that long, but it was late, and I was tired...

I'm not going to lie, my Monday dragged at work and I almost forgot about my post for today! So I apologize if this is a little shorter and not as motivational. I just wanted to reflect on father's day for a bit :). See.. a cool thing happened this year on Father's day: the Dodgers were playing! And my sisters and I got to sit with my dad to watch the game on tv!

Ok so the Dodgers play just about every Sunday during the baseball season; that part isn't so magical. What was kinda magical, was that their game was being played... at home (in LA)... and it was being televised on ESPN!!! Now, as most Dodger fans know, if you don't have Time Warner Cable, then you are not going to catch all the dodger action (much to the dismay of many fans... my family included). So imagine my family's surprise when we hear that the game will be on ESPN... which my family can access, because they have the Dish network! It was truly a little father's day miracle!

The reason I see this as a little magical happening, is because watching baseball... specifically the Dodgers-- is something I uniquely associate with my dad. I remember very fondly spending hot summer days sitting in front of the TV, with big ol' slices of watermelon, while the fans were blowing hot air in our faces and the Boys in blue playing America's favorite pastime on the television (with Vin Scully announcing of course). When I think of happy times, I often go to these memories because at least while the game was on, there wasn't a care in the world. And trust me, there was a lot to care about. I grew up in a rough part of town; my house and street often getting caught up in the cross-fire with drive-by shootings between rival gangs. Times were tough. But the minute the game came on, my dad would call us all to the living room and he'd tell us who the team was up against. This is where I learned about baseball, this is where I fell in love with baseball and it was all thanks to my dad.

Clarence B. Kelland's quote above reminds me so much of my dad because he didn't try hard to be a good dad, he just was! He Just was because he lived (lives!) genuinely and his values just permeate his little jokes and conversations about simple things, like baseball. I could go on and on about what my dad has taught me and how special he is and how grateful I am to have him as a dad, but I did all that with him... yesterday. Today for me, was about reflecting on a little piece of magic that happened this father's day, thanks to the Dodgers and ESPN :).

I hope that you had a chance to spend some quality time with your fathers, father-figures, or moms who have been both father and mother to you! Til next time...

Be happy,  live happy!
Monica

Motivational Monday || Choosing Happiness

Today’s quote comes to us from the always wise Voltaire and goes alittle something like this:

Yes that’s right folks, we are talking Happiness today! Happiness… this concept is talked about everywhere nowadays. From music, to movies, to pop culture. And it seems like its never been more important than now.

We are living longer than at any other time in our society’s history, yet we are constantly reminded that life is short and things can change in an instant, so we are told to live life fully and happily.

I’d like to think there is also this increased awareness that happiness is increasingly important to invest in and that there are lots of benefits to seeking out happiness in your life. The notion of finding what makes you happy in and of itself isn’t new. But people are looking at happiness in new ways, ways that help with things like self-esteem, finding life’s purpose, heck, even bringing you better health! And sure there is a lot of scientific research I can cite here to back me up, but I wont bore you with that today.

I recently started reading a book by Gretchin Rubin called The Happiness Project. I am only a couple chapters in, but its been a great read so far and I am looking forward to someday starting my own “Happiness Project”.  She talks about happiness in a way that is so simple, yet so profound. This book has served as a sort of reminder to live simply, live happily and to never stop seeking out that which makes you happy because there are so many benefits that come with it like reduced stress, a better outlook on life, and improved relationships. When you are happy, you look better, feel better, and people are drawn to you; why? Because happiness can be contagious!

Think about the last time you smiled or felt even slightly happy. Where were you and what were you doing?  How did you feel (besides happy) and what sort of mental state were you in? This instance doesn’t have to be an elaborate or momentous occasion in your life. For me, the last time I felt genuinely happy was last night, while at church. Although going to church does generally bring me happiness and a personal closeness with the man upstairs, this time it was because of a little baby a few pews in front of me. She couldn’t have been more than 9 or 10 months old and she had the biggest smile and most precious laugh! I could’ve sat and stared and listened to her all day because it just made me happy (… actually I’m pretty sure about 98% of my attention was on her the entire time I was at church lol)! She didn’t interact with me but I saw beauty and life and happiness in this innocent little child, which in turn brought me, a total stranger, happiness!  The truth is, I do believe there are benefits in finding your own personal happiness because I’ve experienced them and I’m pretty sure you have too at some point in your life! 

It may not be crystal clear what it is that brings true happiness to our lives (newsflash: buying a new pair of shoes is not true happiness... maybe buying them on sale though! Just kidding :) ), but many of us (myself included) understand that it involves digging a little deeper and going beneath the surface. It also can mean that happiness doesn’t necessarily come from one thing or area of our lives. We can feel happy through a variety of activities or events or interactions.

So what do we do? Where do we start? I truly believe that the importance does not lie in what we do, but rather just getting up to do something! Trying a new hobby, picking up a new skill, or reaching out to meet new people are great ways to start discovering ways to bring happiness into our lives. For me, embarking on this blog collaborative journey with the rest of the gang has definitely brought me some unexpected happiness and I am truly grateful for that!

Going back to Voltaire’s quote, I believe its not the action of choosing to feel happy over, say, grumpy, or tired; but rather, it is the choice to engage in, or seek out that which makes you happy in order to fill your life with positive things and improved well-being. So bottom line—choose happiness, or choose to take on activities that bring you happiness, because this world needs more happy people, happy people that feel their best! With that said, I hope that my new sign-off will be a simple reminder to always choose happy for your life. If you have any examples of things that bring you happiness or tips on finding happiness in your life, shoot me a message or comment below, I’d love to hear from you! Until next time…

Be happy, live happy!

Monica  

Motivational Monday || Memorial Day Inspiration

This holiday weekend, many americans took to the roads for nice little (and hopefully relaxing) getaways; I certainly was no exception. It had felt like ages since the last time I embarked on a weekend getaway and the fact that I had Monday off from work, gave me a great excuse to visit northern California for a few days. Besides a beautifully scenic route up highway 101, northern California is also home to some of my favorite people, my twin niece and nephew!

Having the chance to spend some quality auntie-time with these kiddos (whom I like to call "keeblers") is something that I truly value and cherish. At one point on Saturday, after brunch, my sisters, brother, sister in-law and keeblers decided to take a stroll through one of the quaint San Jose neighborhoods. This part of town is home to many little shoppes, boutiques, eateries, and seems to be a place that many families' like taking strolls through, just like us. We even found an old school candy shoppe full of goodies from the olden days and the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory playing in the back. While in the cute little shoppe, I got to thinking about what it must have been like, growing up during the years when Chick-O-Sticks and Candy buttons were popular. And then somehow I began to think about the holiday, which brought me to San Jose in the first place-- Memorial Day.

Many think that Memorial Day is a day to honor those who served in our country's armed forces (past and present). But in actuality, Memorial Day is a day in which we remember and honor those military men and women who have fallen in service to our country. While in the candy shoppe, I thought about the many children throughout the years (who might've enjoyed some of the sweets found in this nostalgic candy shoppe) that might've lived through the wars in our nation's history; those same wars that took so many mothers and fathers before their time. It was here that I began to reflect on what this holiday meant to me.

As a Mexican-American, I understand and am grateful that I live a life that is afforded many freedoms because of the struggles endured by many men and women who serve my country. I am reminded that there are men and women who paid the ultimate price so that I could participate in a society where I can work, vote, be independent, and basically be whatever I want to be. So as I sat to put together today's blog post, I stumbled upon this amazing quote from Thomas Campbell that says: The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree.

Now, if this doesn't convey the essence of Memorial Day, then I don't know what will! The brave men and women who have served and paid the ultimate price are true examples of bravery and service. It is their actions that have planted a seed of gratitude and indebtedness in many of our hearts; a gratitude grows as each year passes that we are able to enjoy our freedom. This Memorial Day I invite you to take a minute to reflect on the sacrifices paid by a few, so that freedom could be enjoyed by many.

Happy Memorial Day! 

Monica

Motivational Monday || Try

"Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try." - Unkown

The biggest failure is the one you don't make. Human beings learn from trial and error. I'm not talking about school. I mean you could fail at school and that would suck. And then you would have bad grades, so you kinda want to try to mitigate that by studying. 

No, I'm talking about doing things actively. Like interacting with people. You never know how to interact with people unless you start interacting with them. Learning how to communicate in more than just words. In body language and vocal inflections and all that jazz which you can only get through interpersonal communication. The kind of skill that you can only attain by practice and which only will help you make the social stud or studette. 

I'm talking about going to the gym and going in with the intent to wreck a personal record and coming up short. Then what do you do? Train to be able to go past that personal record. Then go after the next one. Set yourself up to win. When you fail, it's only a temporary set back. Failures are temporary. Your victories will last. Either way, they help push you to do more. To go farther. 

But none of this will happen unless you say, "I'm going to do that thing." "I'm going to try that." No one ever learned a new language by not trying to speak it. No one ever bench pressed 500 lbs by only staring at the weight. No one ever ran a marathon by being watching the runners. No one ever got the person of their dreams by staring at them from across the room. 

It takes a conscious decision to say, "I'm going to try." And the goal is to remain strong in your failures and show yourself that life won't end because you choked when you were asking out the hottie at the bar. You'll push past. And get the next hottie. Because you'll never succeed at something unless you try to do it first. 

Do yourself a favor and decide to try. 

Boom. Inspiration.

Motivational Monday Introduction

...I work in an office with lots of awesome people. In my particular area of the office, I have made something of a reputation for myself. See, I have this whiteboard up on a wall. and for the last three years, since I've been in this office, I have used this board to post great quotes on many different topics; and when co-workers and visitors want to see some wise words, they come to my area!  My name is Monica, and I love a good quote. 

I don't particularly fancy myself the philosophical type. But I do believe a great quote has the ability to communicate  something deeper than plain language can do. More than that, great quotes can make us feel all kinds of emotions, from inspired, to upset... and everything in between. So that's what I'm  hoping to bring to you on Mondays: a little dose of wise words, from wise guys (and gals), which will hopefully provide for some motivation to kick-start your week! 

Just a little more background about me: I am 32 years young and currently reside in America's Finest City: San Diego. Other than great quotes, I enjoy great conversations with friends, trying new breweries or coffee shops (San Diego has some great choices!), listening to live music or spending time at the beach. Originally from Los Angeles, I can to San Diego in 2009 for grad school and fell in love with the city. There truly is something here for everyone. Oh, and I come from a big ol' Mexican family!They drive me bananas, but I love them and wouldn't have it any other way! 

I was asked to be a part of this blog collaborative and I immediately said no. Well, not no, but rather "what?" Why me? What the heck am I going to blog about?!" Rox (the Tinker Thursday contributor), asked me "well whats your thing?!" Up until this point, I didn't think I had a thing,  until I started thinking about some of the things I love. A few coworkers, just so happened to walk into my office and made a comment about enjoying the selection of quotes I use for the board. At that moment, I got a message from Rox about "Motivational Mondays with Monica" and sharing quotes. I thought it was a sign, so here I am. I have never done a blog before, so this is a new adventure for me; come along, and I hope you enjoy the ride! 

It's Finally Happening!

Welcome to Notably Notable!

First, we would like to thank you for somehow stumbling upon our little area of the internet. Feel free to explore and possibly stick around :)

We are a group of five friends who love a lot of different things. We don’t want to get into too much detail; you’ll get the chance to hear from everyone this week (although the tags might give you guys a few hints--told you we're all over the place). Just know that we’re here to share our passions with you, and we hope you enjoy!

We are also aware there’s a Twitter handle and Instagram username that already exists for NotablyNotable. Unfortunately, we did not know about it / failed to check if this name already existed. We only researched if the domain was available. 

Just to clear the air, we are not affiliated with the aforementioned social media outlets. Each author has their own individual social media outlets that they will share if they wish :) 

Monica will kick off Introductory Week, so swing on by tomorrow for Motivational Monday!

Thanks again <3

The Notably Notable Team

Monica, Sharmaine, Jayme, Rox, and Fury