A Confession and A Promise

I have a confession to make.  As of late, I’ve been kind of terrible at this whole blogging thing.  Obviously, this isn’t a particularly compelling or surprising confession.  Just take a look at my post history and you’ll see that I haven’t felt the need to write something since February.  Oops.  But I just haven’t felt that jolt of inspiration, that insatiable need to put your thoughts on paper, or a canvas, or into 140 characters (I’m talking to you my dear Twitter inclined readers).  And if I haven’t felt it, that burst of creativity and passion, then why force it?  I’m not going to just spew insignificant shit out into the universe because I’ve been told that I should be predictable and consistent.  Because that’s what a good blogger does, right?  While that may work for some (and to them I say, "good on ya!"), that’s just not me.  And I’ve come to realize that that’s okay. 

So in light of this confession, I’m also going to offer up a promise.  I, Amy Arburn, promise to never write something disingenuous or fluffy or meaningless.  I can’t promise that I’m not going to write about something you may find silly. Like last week’s Grey’s Anatomy episode, or my most recent trip to Sephora, or One Direction (I’ll warn you.  It will happen at some point or another.)  But I can guarantee that if I put it here, it will be from the heart.  It will be something that really made me think or feel, laugh or cry, wince or grin.  That’s my promise.  Real stuff only.  No fluff allowed.

I don’t know when you’ll hear from me next.  Perhaps next week, or next month, or maybe even in a few hours?  I can’t be sure.  Because life is unpredictable and busy and jam packed with responsibilities and friendly engagements. If you’re lucky ;)

So, until we meet again then my loves.  In the meantime, keep living and loving and dreaming big Audrey sized dreams. Okay?  Okay.

P.S. That lovely image featured at the start of this post came from a session I recently did with Christian Kerr, a local and SUPER talented portrait photographer.  For more from my session and many others, click here.  You won't regret it!

Much love and thanks for reading.

       

And This One's For You...

Roses are red, violets are blue, I've written a little love note for you...

If you, like me, don't happen to have a significant other in your life this Valentine's Day, it's okay.  This doesn't have to be depressing or irritating or serve as a reason for you to feel self-pity or loneliness.  Because newsflash, there are all kinds of love in this world.  Not just the in-love kind.  Chances are there is someone out there who loves you very dearly, even if it's not in that romance novel kind of way.  Maybe it's Mom. Or Dad. Or both. Or a little sister or brother. Or a big sister or brother.  Or your twin.  Or perhaps it's this really kick ass friend of yours who you can tell anything and everything.  Maybe it's a coworker, a cousin, an aunt, an uncle, a grandparent, a neighbor, a childhood playmate, an old college roommate.  Someone out there loves you.  It may be a different kind of love, but it's just as special. This I am sure of.

So for those of you who do have a husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner...go give em a kiss. A big, slobbery, wet one.  And for those of you who don't, celebrate the other equally special kinds of love that surround you each and every day of your life.

Happy Valentine's Day Audreamers.  I love you.

P.S. Thought I'd share my favorite love song of all time.  Leave it to Elton.

Much love, thanks for reading, and as always...

Movie Magic

Us Arburns, we’re a movie kind of family.  On an otherwise uneventful evening, my Mom, Dad, little brother and I will find out what’s playing, pick a showtime, and see a movie.  It’s just what we do.  And growing up, I always remember watching the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and of course, the Oscars.  I was raised to appreciate the art of film.  And I still do.  A great deal. 

This holiday season, I’ve seen lots; The Hobbit, Exodus, The Interview (take that North Korea!), and just last night, the Imitation Game.  And frankly, I think this lot perfectly demonstrates why movies are truly magical things.  Movies can bring an epic novel to life, or retell a story that’s been told a thousand times over.  Movies can make you giggle and guffaw until your sides ache.  Movies can bring light to a person or a story or an event that deserves to be seen but hasn’t yet been given any such opportunity.  Movies can make your heart ache.  Movies can make your soul sing.  Movies can help us to see what we want from life, or what we don’t want.  Movies can change perspectives or solidify them. Movies can start thought provoking discussions, build friendships and fandoms, or create complete and total pandemonium.  Movies shape culture.  Movies captivate and inspire.  Movies creep their way into our everyday conversations without a second thought.  Ever shouted, “I’m king of the world!” when you felt extra psyched?  Ever muttered, “There’s no place like home,” after returning from a long absence?  Ever shown off a new toy or gadget with a “Say hello to my little friend?”  Ever used, “Houston, we have a problem,” to indicate a slight, or massive, error in judgment?  Ever wished someone luck with a, “May the force be with you?”  Movies are all around us. Movies are walking, talking, living, breathing art that seep into us and never quite leave.

I love the movies.  And I can tell you right now without a shred of doubt that film will be something I write about frequently.  After all, it was indeed a movie that brought Audrey Hepburn into my life.  My Fair Lady.  Age five.  And it was as she walked down a flight of stairs in a sparkling floor length gown, her hair elegantly pinned up and a dazzling choker clinging to her long slender neck, that I fell in love with her.  I wanted to be her.  I knew that I wanted to walk through life as gracefully and beautifully as she did gliding down those stairs.  So in that moment, in that scene, in that split second, an Audream was born.  MAGIC.  Movie Magic...

So next time you’re at a loss for what to do with your evening, consider making your way down to the nearest cinema.  Or curl up on your couch, find something on Netflix, or pop an old favorite into your DVD player.  Bring a little magic into your life. 

Much love, thanks for reading, and as always…

I'm No Computer Genius

Let’s just call this an Author’s Note.  I am many things.  Tech savvy is not one of them.  Here's a little clip that I'd say solidifies that claim.

Pretty convincing wouldn't you say? It gets better.  It took me three, count em, THREE days to figure out how to post that itty bitty thirty seconds worth of video footage.  It's sad really.  So considering that I am ill equipped to operate an iPhone camera and largely incapable of uploading a video, it will come as no surprise to you that designing this blog was like pulling teeth. I would often find myself spending twenty minutes just trying to figure out how to adjust post title colors. My twenty first minute would then be spent yelling profanities at my computer screen and resisting the urge to throw it off of my lap and into the nearest wall. It’s a miracle my cute little MacBook Air is still intact to be honest.  But I digress.  While struggling through the formatting of the blog itself, I continued writing.  It would remind me of why I wanted to start a blog.  It reminded me why I was spending all of this time doing something that made me want to rip out my hair out from the root.  It reminded me that I love to write and that I want to share my writing with all of you.  So here’s the moral of the story – some of my posts were written well before I launched the blog and often discuss things that didn’t happen all too recently.  But I’ll always date them and give you a little bit of a heads up to avoid any confusion.  Glad we cleared that all up.

Keep your eye out for one such post on Sunday where I'll share with you what went through my crazy brain back in September when I was asked to walk in my first ever runway show [insert scaredy face emoji here].

And now a word, or a face I should say, from our star that I think perfectly summarizes the theme of this particular piece.

Much love, thanks for reading, and as always...

What Is An Audream?

At its simplest, an Audream is two words squished together to make one.  An ‘Audrey’ plus a ‘dream’ equals an ‘Audream.’  Duh? 

But an Audream is so much more than a compilation of words.  It’s something to aspire to, it’s a hope for the future, it’s a dream of Audrey sized proportions.  Audrey, as we all know, was and continues to be a symbol of beauty, elegance, and class.  She has lived on as a style icon for generations.  She is timeless.  And, for those of you that haven’t picked up on this quite yet,  I have a small (okay, not so small) obsession with Ms. Hepburn.  In fact, a small (okay, again, not so small) corner of my room is entirely dedicated to her.  This shrine, if you will, is littered with hats and gloves, countless little collectibles with Audrey’s flawless face and figure, and a rather impressive collection of Tiffany boxes.  - Brief interjection… NEVER throw away a Tiffany box.  The packaging is half the fun ;) –

I’ve been told a few times before that I physically resemble Audrey.  You can be the judge of that.  

And very recently, I became aware of the similarities in our names.  Amy, Audrey.  Arburn, Hepburn.  Considering the fact that I’ve adored her for as long as I can remember, I found it strange that I’ve never noticed this before.  Beyond our supposed similarities in appearance and our obvious similarities in name, I’ve felt a strong connection to her in other ways.  She was a philanthropist.  A dedicated humanitarian.  A woman who understood that there was more to life than little black dresses and twinkling tiaras.  This, in my mind, is what makes Audrey so exceptional.  She was beautiful and stylish and glamorous.  But she was also a generous human being who worked fiercely and passionately to make the world a better place, and I admire her for that more than I can say.

I don’t claim to be the next Audrey.  That would just be silly, and untrue, and...well...stupid.  She’s a once in a many, many lifetimes kind of woman.  But I do aspire to live my life in a similar fashion.  She was beautiful, bold, talented, fashionable, charitable, humble, thoughtful, eloquent, and unselfish. 

This blog serves as the first step of a long journey.  A journey to follow and live out my Audreams.  So here I am, inviting you to be a part of it.  Maybe along the way, you’ll find a few Audreams of your own.   

Much love, thanks for reading, and as always...

Why Blog?

The idea of writing a blog is truly petrifying to me.  It feels like a rather narcissistic thing to do - to blab about my thoughts and feelings, throw it out into the world, and assume someone wants to listen.  It's strange and uncomfortable and I feel fidgety and restless just thinking about it.  But I think what's most terrifying is how vulnerable I feel. The world can be a crazy scary place, and people can be MEAN, especially when they have their computer screen to hide behind.  

But then, I have to take a step back and breathe for a moment and will myself to stop thinking those thoughts.  Because those are all fears associated with what other people will think, what other people will feel or say.  What about me?  For me, this blog is an opportunity for growth and for self-expression.  Writing is something I've always had a knack for.  And now that my time as a student has ended, I don't want to stop.   

I can’t tell you what I’ll write about because I don’t really know myself.  I’m a lover of pop culture, a TV addict, and a frequent moviegoer.  I read, but not as often as I used to.  Being a graduate student tends to suck all the fun out of it.  But I hope to start again soon, and remember what reading for pleasure is like again.  So if I post about the latest book I’ve picked up, please congratulate me.  I model, which is something that both excites and terrifies me.  I’m shy and self-conscious at times.  Who isn’t? But I also love to be creative.  I love being a blank canvas.  I love transforming into someone I am not or something that I would like to be.  I love working with other artists – hair and makeup artists, stylists, and photographers.  Working as a model is a constant battle between the bitch inside me who says I’m not good enough, and the part of me that loves the work and knows that I can do whatever I set my mind to.  I’ll likely share the struggles and the successes with you.  I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and a Master’s Degree in Community Leadership from Westminster College, a small liberal arts school in Salt Lake City.  I chose to pursue my degrees because I care about what’s happening in the world and in my community.  I’m not saying I’m gonna go all political on your ass every week, but I’ll share what I’m thinking if I feel particularly passionate about something.  I listen to music of all kinds.  I love to exercise and go to the gym religiously.  It’s therapeutic for me.  I see it as an opportunity to quiet my mind and let my body take the reigns for a bit.  I am a die-hard San Francisco 49ers fan. I’m a total Anglophile – OBSESSED with all things British.   And the list of potential topics goes on….

Really, what I plan to write about is my life, what it is, what I want it to be, and how I plan to get there.  I can’t say what will inspire me, but I do know that I see little Audreams in my life everyday in a variety of places and things.   This is where I plan to keep them.  You are who I plan to share them with.  This is me taking a giant leap into who knows what.  This is me tossing aside the fear for a moment and letting go.

Eleanor Roosevelt, a woman well ahead of her time as my mother likes to say, said that you should do something that scares you each and every day.  So here it goes Mrs. Roosevelt.  I'm scared shitless.

Much love, thanks for reading, and as always....