Light.

Quotes of the day:

"I have learned things in the dark that I could never have learned in the light, things that have saved my life over and over again, so that there is really only one logical conclusion. I need darkness as much as I need light." - Barbara Brown Taylor

"Even those afraid of the dark must live through half of each day as night, to come to see the beauty in each." - Johnathan Jena

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I am learning to walk in the darkness. When my light dims and starts to fade, there's a new lesson. In the dark is where I will find my light again... a new light that will shine and illuminate brighter than the last. No light bulb lasts forever. Every light will eventually start to flicker. That's when you know it's time for a change.

~xoxo~

Dominique

Ready for Fall

I have a bitter-sweet feeling about summer ending so soon. I've enjoyed vacation trips with friends and family, BBQs and of course shopping! Although I wish summer wasn't saying goodbye just yet, I'm happy about fall being on its way. It's my favorite season of the year! I love the different earth tone colors and textures of the leaves. I especially love the weather because it's not too hot and it's not too cold. I can dress comfortably and still look nice at the same time. 

For fall's arrival, I decided to prepare early by cleaning and reorganizing my entire closet wardrobe. Everything from sweaters and blouses, jeans and trousers, shorts and skirts, dresses and even my shoes were all rearranged. After two hours of shuffling hangers and clothes, I was able to give away a lot of clothes and shoes I no longer wear. I'm going to make my first trip to the Goodwill next weekend. I'm happy to give back and help those in need.

Now that my closet is in tact, I can sit back, relax and wait for the first leaf to fall.

~xoxo~

Dominique

Break from Reality

I went on my very first cruise last month with my family and boyfriend. We cruised the Western Caribbean on the Carnival Conquest ship. The ship was massive! I actually thought it was a building from my peripheral view. Anywhoo, this was a much needed vacation that was LONG overdue. After being in the office so much, I needed a break from the real world!

My boyfriend and I enjoyed our Ocean View Balcony room. The view and sound of the ocean was breathtaking! We caught the sunrise on the first morning. So incredibly beautiful...

I enjoyed spending time with my sister and my cousins. It's always a family affair when we're all together! We enjoyed the sun, the food, the weather (for the most part), and the beaches! And how can I forget the plentiful activities provided while on the ship! My dad suggested that we make this an every two year vacation. Sounds like a plan!

The food on the ship was amazing! I admit I felt a little guilty eating countless servings of all those delicious calories (lol)! Needless to say, I may have picked up maybe 5 lbs. after eating on the ship. Not to mention, the excursion food was just as scrumptious! We first stopped in Montego Bay, Jamaica where we ate the famous jerk-style chicken. Next, we hopped on over to the Grand Cayman Islands for a quick dip at the beach. Last but not least, we landed in Cozumel, Mexico where we enjoyed REAL Mexican cuisine and snorkeled with many colorful fish.

Sadly, my vacation ended after being free from the real world for a whole week. It was nice while it lasted, but now it's back to reality I go...

~xoxo~
Dominique

One Lovely Blog Award

Hi everyone! I first want to give a HUGE shout out to Tiffani from The Beautiful Life. She passed on the One Lovely Blog Award to me. Although I was SUPER late reading her post, I am very flattered that she selected me for this award. So, thank you tons Tiffani! Okay, so apparently, recipients of this award are supposed to share 7 random facts about themselves and then pass the award on to their favorite blogger. With that being said, let's jump right in. Here's my 7 random facts about me. Enjoy!

1. I mainly type with 2 fingers. I don't know why I can't type with all my fingers. I've been typing with only 2 fingers since I can remember. The good thing is, I can still type very fast. ;-)
2. I can't blow my nose, so I have to use an aspirator...you know, what you use on babies. Weird, right?! Blowing my nose REALLY hurts my ears and makes them pop. Plus, it gives me ear infections. So, instead, I use an aspirator.
3. I was "technically" considered overweight for my height during my junior year in college. I'm 5'2 and at that time, I weighed 138 lbs. I found it interesting and humorous, so I wasn't at all affected in a negative way. Instead of gaining the infamous "freshmen 15", I gained the "junior 15"???
4. I failed my driver's ed vision test during high school...WITH my contacts on! Luckily for me, the lady instructor complimented how pretty I was and let me slide. Being pretty paid off!
5. Too much starch instantly gives me hiccups. It's true. My favorite foods are bread and potatoes. Every time I eat them, I get hiccups right away. 
6. I graduated #8 out of 360+ students in my high school class. Back then, I considered myself to be Octorian of my class. It made me feel important, lol.
7. I always say Sonic's with an "s" instead of Sonic. It has been a habit ever since I was living in Spain. When you're away for too long, you tend to forget certain things.

Okay, so that was just 7 of many little random fun facts about myself. And the next One Lovely Blog Award goes to....Ahkeeia from Ahkeeia's Food Blog! 

My First YouTube Video

Hey, everyone! So, I FINALLY got the guts to make and post a video to YouTube the other day. As I mentioned in my very first blog post, I have been on YouTube for quite some time now watching people I subscribe to for tips and advice mainly on hair and makeup. 

It feels good to finally have a video of my own on my YouTube channel. I admit, I was VERY nervous when filming. I even had to restart a bunch of times just to start off right, lol. You never know...People all over the world could be watching. So far, I have gotten some good feedback. 

Please rate, comment, and share this video with your friends (click on link below). And don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel. Enjoy!

Welcome to My World!

Hi everyone! My name is Dominique. This is my first time doing something like this as I do not have much blog experience whatsoever (lol). However, I am interested in learning more about this. The world is BIG and there's tons of people in it that want to share their lives and experiences. 

After subscribing to people on YouTube whether it's for tips on hair and makeup or looking at dance choreography, I was inspired to do this. So, welcome to my world! 

Hopefully, this blog will be an inspiration to someone out there. I don't know what things I will be posting or blogging about as of yet. It'll probably be as random as my life is (lol). However, I hope that you all enjoy my site. 

You can also follow me on Twitter @niquenique321 or add me as a friend on Facebook (Dominique Payne). Like I said, I'm new to this. So, please bare with me and most of all, enjoy! :-)