THE WEEK

All week, we’ve been hearing of a monster sized storm making its way to Portland and the last few days have been extra windy and rainy. We’re stocked up on basics just in case and I’m catching up on a few things at the office today because there’s a good chance the power could go out.

This week hasn’t been an easy one — I’ve been mostly Staying offline, trying to focus on keeping up with a tangle of print, branding and web projects while staying in touch with my family since my cousin Matt has had some complications with his surgery.

Yesterday afternoon, right as I was packing up for the weekend and sending my designer home, I got an urgent call that Matt wasn’t doing so well. I made my way up to the hospital in some of the worst weather I’ve seen in ages and walked in to see him hooked up to so many tubes and devices I couldn’t quite believe it.

In that moment, I appreciated modern technology, the kindness of doctors and nurses and realized how insignificant what I do is compared to what they do. It takes a special mindset, strength and drive to work in a hospital day after day, knowing that people’s lives can shift at any second, doing your best to keep them stabilized and comfortable.

The silver lining is that my grandparents stayed the night at my house so they could be closer to the hospital and I did get a chuckle out of them sleeping in my black-walled bedroom and using our freshly remodeled bathroom, complete with banana leaf print wallpaper. I took them to the coffee shop this morning and offered to buy them fancy lattes but they stuck with their usual drip coffee. Awww.

This month hasn’t been an easy one but I’m staying focused on moving forward, getting through projects and making time to visit Matt before we leave for Palm Springs in 2 weeks. Here’s hoping everything levels out soon.

The wind is really starting to pick up now and I’m afraid of losing power….so I’m signing off for now. Have a good weekend!

Photos: 1. I may have found the perfect black boots. They’re by a brand called Populaire, on sale for a great price, have a slight platform in the front so it doesn’t feel like you’re walking on the ball of your foot, aren’t too narrow, pull on so there’s no hardware to get broken and the heel is just chunky enough to make them comfortable. SCORE!

2. I’m wrapping up issue 11 of Rock n Roll Bride Magazine and after redesigning many of the layouts, it’s gonna be so cool to finally see it in print.

3. It’s getting cold enough to pull out this spruce colored faux fur jacket. YES!

4. My spare room has been redone for a year now and still love it, especially this bust I found at Home Goods for $15.00!

THE LINKS

• It’s possible to make a to-do list that actually helps you get everything done.

• 5 reasons why one of the best pastry chefs in the country turned his back on fine dining — and all his points are spot-on.

• How cool is this?! Salvador Dali’s surrealist cookbook is going to be republished!

• A camera drone with facial recognition is the future of selfies.

• If you’re ready to revamp your portfolio, these 8 tools can help.

•  This week, CoverGirl made history by signing on its first ever male spokesmodel!

• I totally agree that quick, easy to finish tasks build momentum in the morning.

• Why do anything? A meditation on the art of procrastination. Haha!

• Important stuff: the difference between club soda, seltzer and sparkling mineral water.

• I’m digging this roundup of 8 cool Instagram accounts, especially museum selfies!

• To grow yourself and your business, you need to get confident to make changes and banish negativity.

• These conversation topics made me laugh.