the thing about me is...

It's been awhile since I last shared a few random facts about my life, and seeing as so much has changed in the last 6 months it seems only fitting to do so now. Here's 21 things you probably didn't know. Unless of course you're family, you don't count (sorry).

1 //  The ring on my right pointer finger hasn't come off in about a decade. I even wore it to our wedding.

2 // I eat toast every single morning for breakfast during the week. Well, I eat toast with my butter anyways.

3 // I alternate between two colors of toenail polish year around, I like consistency. 

4 // When I was little I told my parents that I wanted to be a waitress and live with them forever.

5 // I'm starting to get nervous about turning 30 (in 2.25 years).

6 // I prefer the term "excitement mark" to "exclamation point."

7 // I also prefer saying orange light to yellow light. Those boogers look orange people!

8 // When I find a pair of jeans I like, I usually end up buying 3-4 of the exact same pairs. I live in fear that people will judge me for wearing the same pair of pants every day.

9 // Spaghetti sauce is my second favorite food on the planet.

10 // I cry every single time I watch Little Women. I love them all so much. 

11 // I have really bad luck with internet purchases. Nine times out of ten I end up needing an exchange or a refund.

12 // In the last six months I've only driven a car once.

13 // I baby talk to Nellie our pup. Oh god, I just admitted that on the internet!

14 // I geek out over meeting bloggers the way most people geek out over celebrities.

15 // Sometimes when you get me laughing I can't stop and it gets uncontrollably loud and annoying.

16 // I started biting my nails again.

17 // I get claustrophobic in large crowds.

18 // I like to make up silly songs for Ryan daily. They're all terrible but he sings along anyway.

19 // My default humming tune is the theme song from Doug.

20 // I can not eat American Cheese, just saying it makes me gag.

21 // I'm a very generous tipper.

Now it's your turn, tell me something about you that most people wouldn't know. big kiss, bekuh

Me Now

Since the move I've been feeling a bit like the ugly duckling. Old demons of self-doubt and insecurity have resurfaced in a really powerful way, and I haven't been able to shake them as easily as in the past. At one point I was knee deep in my closet tearing everything off hangers, ready to throw it all away. Funny how a major life change can trigger bad habits no? 

Working with amazingly creative people, with impeccable taste, and years of city living under their belts can be incredibly inspiring. But, it can also lead to jealousy and comparison. Which is why I'm sitting here writing all of this out. I know from past experience that the best way for me to deal with issues is to talk them through with others, lucky you. For reference, it feels a bit like being Anne Hathaway's character in the Devil Wears Prada before she finds her footing. Let's get real though, there is NO way I'm going to stop eating carbs, or buy $800 purses.

I guess the me now is in limbo; stuck between the me I know, and the me I will be. Not a bad place to be, just an unsure one. I'm working for the most amazing company who asks me to dream big for a living, a luxury I've never afforded myself. I've always believed that the best I could do was pay my bills, and create in the small space of time after work and before bed. Now my eyes are opening to seeing beyond what I'm capable of today, but what I could be capable of with hard work and vision. Harnessing my talents in a broader way than I first imagined. Comparison in some cases makes a person work harder, and in others can be debilitating, and destructive. In this case it is both.

I'm so torn between feeling inadequate, and wonderfully challenged. I'm entirely too impatient, and want an overnight transformation. Does any of this rambling make sense? Confused, and in over my head; that's me now. big kiss, bekuh

Getting Some Fresh Air

a cloudy billboard against a glorious sky

I've been thinking a lot lately (never a good thing), and I just wanted to share a little bit about where I'm at with you now that I've had time to settle into Philadelphia a little. My life has taken some drastic turns in the last couple of months, and one of the things that is becoming ever more apparent to me is that Secondhand Sundays is no longer my focus, but an outlet for my free time. I love this space and have no plans of giving it up, but it will feel dramatically different from now on. Here's what you can expect moving forward:

+ We are super excited to start sharing more personal posts focused on our life in Philadelphia. It's already been an adventure filled couple of weeks! I want to be a part of this new community, not a passerby, and as such I want to share more local things with you than ever before. Sharing these personal bits of life are increasingly important to us as we now live away from all our family. They read this stuff too!

+ I am doing away with paid advertising on SHS indefinitely. Secondhand Sundays has always been a personal blog, and I believe ending this program will be a better representation of that sentiment. I have loved swapping with people, and writing highlight posts, but that's just not where my heart is. If I'm being totally honest I don't feel like I was expanding my audience for the right reasons, and monetizing was not a good choice for me. I am however, going to continue working with affiliates I feel reflect my personal taste, because what girl doesn't want a discount on brands she loves?

+ Gone are the days where I post six times a week. My new job and commute are demanding enough that I just don't have the time to do it. I don't, in any way, think this is a bad thing. I am actually loving my new schedule, and the commute will allow me more time to read. Reading more has been on my to-do list for some time now, and it's important to me to see it through. What does this mean for you? In my opinion it means you're going to be getting better content, with a more cohesive voice. I'm going to be hopping around a lot less.

I don't think any of this will come as a surprise to you. I'm sure those of you who have been reading for awhile feel like I change things up every two weeks, but it will settle down soon enough. I am consistently amazed by the love I have found through blogger friends and readers, and what they're willing to put up with from me. You guys are amazing. Thank you. big kiss, bekuh

About a Girl

For the next couple of days I'm going to share about myself; the things I like, love and things I'm aspiring to do in life. My hope is that as a reader you'll feel more conected to me and see that there is an inner voice here and it is hopefully a voice someone out there can relate to or want to listen to. Enjoy*

My name is Rebekuh, Bekuh or Bek depending on the day and who you're talking to. The funny thing about my name is that it is actually spelt with the -uh on the end, this is not something I made up to seem "cool" or "different." This is how the story goes...

When my mom was pregnant with me she decided she wanted a Biblical name for her yet unborn child, aka me. She decided she liked both Rachel and Rebekah and should she have a girl she would name her one or the other (Note: Apparently Biblical names were limited to girls because if I would have been a boy my name would have been Gregory). After delivery however my mom knew she wanted to name me Rebekah, but she didn't have a Bible with her and couldn't remember the Biblical spelling. So, she sounded it out, Rebek-uh.  No this was not drug induced and no they didn't go back and change it. And so I am Rebekuh and honestly that slight difference has helped shape me as a person. My name is both rooted in history and something completely unique to me at the same time. Just a little piece of family history for you today. big kiss, bekuh