A teeth-brushing endeavor.

Why is it so hard to become motivated? Does anyone else struggle with following through with a goal or a life change?

Sometimes I wonder if maybe motivation, like weight loss, is a day-by-day thing.

Like maybe if you try too hard to plan out a routine, your brain just gets rebellious and you become incapable of following through.

Perhaps I should try starting each day with a new, previously undefined goal. If I have no set pattern, and no definitive long term plan, motivation can be renewed daily.

For example, maybe today I will drink 64 oz of water. Tomorrow I might shoot for 80 oz, 64 oz again, or not be concerned with water at all. Tomorrow I might be focused on getting 8 hours of sleep, based on my not-so-cheery disposition I have upon waking.

What if the goal of each day was solely contingent on that day's circumstances, and nothing else?

After all, I can't tell you the number of times I've gone to bed with the best intentions but woken up with a crabby attitude. (Not to mention a need for sleep...)

What if, on bad days, I make my goal something really simple? Or something that I would already be planning to do?

For instance, today I will brush my teeth. That's an obvious goal, but maybe I would be able to trick my conscienceness into that elated feeling one gets when they accomplish something.

What do you think?

Love this song, too!

Watch "Steve Holy - "Brand New Girlfriend" live at The Grand Ole Opry" on YouTube

Love this song!

Watch "If You're Going Through Hell-Rodney Atkins Lyrics" on YouTube

Greatest Fear

My greatest fear is that this is as good as it gets.

I spend every day learning about different things I can do to be healthy. But I'm not living in that same reality. It hurts just to move around the house. I'm embarassed to be seen in public with my family and friends. I hate food even more than I love it.

I know I am the only one who can change it. But that doesn't make it easier.

I didn't work out yesterday. I accomplished other things that needed to get done. Sure. But I didn't work out. I thought about it all day. I ate well, too. When my brother had cookies after school, I only ate a serving size - which is saying something because cookies are my weakness.

I was watching Extreme Makeover - Weight Loss Edition last night and the contestant's goal was to lose 100 pounds in the first 90 days. If I could do that, I would be more than halfway to my goal by Christmas. But they workout 2-4 hours a day in cardio, 6 days a week. Plus strength training three times a week. I don't think I'm that motivated...

Chris Powell guides their programs, and the contestants always do well. Since I'm out of work right now, maybe I could work out that much and drop some serious weight. I think that losing a lot of weight in the beginning is healthy as long as you do it by properly fueling your body and working out consistently. It's extreme, but what else am I doing in a day anyway?

After all, if you want great results, you have to do great things.

Protein Poppers!

Click for the recipe here! These look really simple and tasty... Perfect for 5am runs!

Mathematics Challenge

I like numbers. So I decided to try this concept for fitness in the upcoming months:

Make everything number-based.

For example, I am reading The Skinny Rules by Bob Harper. There are 21 rules to learn and follow, but to be able to adapt to 21 rules in just a day, or even a week, seems a bit crazy. So I am going to take it one rule, one day at a time.

At the same time, I'll be incorporating my own daily goals into my routines. Mathematically, I will adapt a new rule per day for three days. On the fourth day, I will add a personal goal. In total, it should take a month to adapt to all the changes. I will be starting with a personal goal, and then jumping into the 21 rules.

Here are my seven goals:

1. Workout daily. I've always loved the phrase "go big or go home," and exercising just three or four days a week doesn't seem like enough. Plus, then I get lazy(ier) and end up telling myself I can always work out tomorrow. Until I don't workout at all. This way, there is no debating with myself on whether I have to exercise that day.

2. Mediate at least once a day. I learned how to do this from an Indian doctor, and I never felt less stressed than when I was meditating regularly. I miss it.

3. Weigh in daily. I know there is some debate about this, but Bob says that sometimes it is easier to handle the stability of watching your weight every day than waiting until the weigh-in time each week. 

4. Blog every day. This timeline goes along with my sentiments from #2. If I say my goal is to blog three times a week, it doesn't happen at all because I am a serial procrastinator. 

5. Sleep well. This means through the night, seven to nine hours, on the same schedule every night. Of course, emergencies happen, and there is always that chance that I will get a job with a schedule to throw this off. But I can adapt for that.

6. Log my food. I'd like to be really optimistic and say that I will count calories, but I hate doing that. For this month's challenge, I am just trying to write down what I eat so I can look for eating patterns and make sure I'm not overloading on sugar or underestimating my water intake.

7. Worship my skin. I am fortunate enough to have skin that has yet to show signs of aging, sun damage, or any serious blemishes. But I know that won't last forever if I keep skimping on sunblock, fail to have a skin care routine, and sleep in my make up. 

In addition to my seven challenges, I will incorporate the 21 Skinny Rules from Mr. Harper. Since they all pertain to eating well, I tried to make the above seven habits relate to other aspects of my own wellness.

Finally, when I am working out I'd love to get into a routine that had me doing cardio and yoga daily, and then alternating days and muscle groups with strength training. The mathematics challenge for this comes in with the body weight workouts and kettlebell exercises. I also have the Wii Fit, so that should some in handy, too.

Basically, I am going to try and out-compete myself. My first time through any of my exercise routines (I have almost a hundred options at this point) I will go my hardest, and record my reps. The next time I do that routine, I will try to beat my previous numbers. Once my muscles adjust to a workout, I will change either the workout, the number of sets, add weights, or adjust the individual moves to more difficult positions. 

Here's some numbers to finish off this post:

It takes six months for a change in routine to make enough neural pathways in your brain to become a routine.

I run (walk) an 18 minute mile.

Your muscles become accustomed to a workout routine after you complete it 6 times.

I need to lose about 150 pounds.

The ideal amount of time to wait before training the same muscles group when strength training is 2 days.

My BMI is about 46.

A healthy BMI is 18-24.

It takes four weeks for you to notice a change in your body, eight weeks for your friends to notice, and twelve for everyone else.

Until tomorrow, folks. Hopefully. Monday's challenge: Workout daily. 

Confirmation

I don't know about you, but the beginning of each year for me is filled with resolutions. After all, that is what each year is supposed to represent, right? New beginnings, and a fresh start. But why do we need to limit those resolutions, which often fail or drift away before Spring even gets here, to January?

This time last year, my life was completely different. I was working towards a presidency in a club I felt passionate about. The completion of my undergraduate degree was just over the horizon. I had jobs I loved, a great apartment, and friends who had my back through anything.

All that is gone now. People change. Mistakes are made. LIFE happens. I get it. And right now, without a job or my own place, after gaining back the weight I lost earlier this year, and with more debt than I ever wanted to have... things seem pretty bleak.

So I'm making a new resolution. My younger brother is starting his confirmation classes at church in two weeks, and I started to wonder... You can get re-baptized. Can you be re-confirmed? Can I get a second chance at something I didn't really put effort into when I was 11?

I called my pastor with these questions, and I can. So Sunday I'll get my study bible and a study guide. And then, on the 23rd I'll be starting confirmation classes with my pastor and a new mentor. I'll be doing the two-year process with my little brother, too. That might be the best part, because I get to explore my faith with my favorite person in the world beside me, asking questions and being curious just like me.

So that's it for now... Look out for a post tomorrow on Suicide Prevention Week. An issue indefinitely close to home. <3

The 100 Mile Diet

Ok so when I first read about this diet, I thought it would have something to do with running or walking 100 miles. Turns out, my lazy butt is safe for another day with this one.

The 100 Mile Diet is a diet based on sustainability. I'd never heard of it before, so I thought I would explain it to you all, as well. Especially since I'm going to be trying my hardest to follow it.

In a nutshell, it just asks that you don't eat anything that has traveled over 100 miles to get on your plate. This goes hand in hand with the less-processed-foods-more-raw-foods approach I want to take with healthy eating.

In the words of my guru, Jillian Michaels, "If you can't harvest it or kill it, don't eat it." Another nutritionist, whose name is lost to me at the moment, put it this way: "Don't eat anything your Great Grandparents wouldn't have eaten growing up."

Now, this doesn't mean you should be eating EVERYTHING they ate (I mean, lard? Ew!). But pop tarts and gogurt and fruit rollups? So not in style in the early 1900s. I guess I need to stop hanging out with kids...

Back to the 100 M.D. I want to eat locally and leave a sustainable footprint on this planet, so I'm IN. I'll check my produce to make sure it is local, and if not - I'm not eating it!

Apparently, this makes me a "locavore." Heh heh. I like terminology. It's like how I'm a vegetarian except for meat.

Lastly, I just read an article on Twitter about five diet changes you can make. They go along pretty well with Bob Harper's The Skinny Rules, which I am currently reading, so I will divulge them here. (You can check out the whole article on my FB page).

1. Eat fruit for breakfast. Seasonal during the summer, and then frozen defrosted overnight during the winter.

2. Replace lunchtime sandwiches with lettuce wraps. Simply eliminating those two slices of bread a day can lead to a weight loss of 16 pounds a year alone!

3. Swap your afternoon refined carbs (a.k.a. chips or cookies) with spicy nuts and seeds. Not only do you get the benefits of the two, but the spice helps you beat afternoon sleepiness, and the combo keeps you full until dinner.

4. Make dinner a meat and vegetables affair. Lean meats are great in moderation, and the protein helps you stay full and satisfied. Just stay away from potatoes - the family fraud of vegetables.

5. Eat fish or fish oils for the omega-3 fatty acids. Good for your heart, these acids also help you burn more fat throughout the day. Bonus: omega-3s help to nourish dry skin, hair, and nails. They are found in most prenatal vitamins for this reason.

Oh, and my own #6:

Eat mindfully. This goes hand-in-hand with eating healthy and meditating for me. I recently read an article on how people who rush through meals are likely emotional eaters and I can say 100% that that includes me. I even realize I'm full sometimes but don't want to waste the food.

As my guru once said, "The food is going to waste regardless. Whether it is on your hips or in the trash."

To combat the "clean plate syndrome," try this nifty tip: serve your meals as if you were serving a child. And make sure you are eating where you can't see the remaining food. This way, you get portion control and you won't be reaching for more simply because it's there.

What's that quote about theories? Oh yes... It's all good in them.

City Dweller

Wednesday I went into the city. And suddenly, things became clear. It was this unreal, out-of-body experience I probably couldn't recreate if I tried. So let me walk you through it. (Please keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times. ;)

Wednesday morning, I rolled over in bed, frustrated as hell because I couldn't sleep. My stomach was hurting, and my head felt like it weighed about a hundred pounds. I woke up crying, not because of D's house, or really anything by itself, but just having an episode of sorts. I was having ridiculous nightmares and tossing and turning for about three hours, and it was just beyond the point of rationality.

I texted D, who have many fine qualities, and she came to my room and just let me cry and talk about everything that is driving me crazy. The fact that I didn't have my check (and therefore was behind on my bills), the fact that going back to school seems like such a difficult decision (when I thought it would be straightforward), the annoyance at just not being able to sleep, and my confusion on when I should go back to work.

After about a half hour, I calmed down, and laid back down, popped my headphones on, and fell asleep to Yo-Yo Ma, mildly high on sleeping pills. Legal, I assure you. Even OTC.

That brings me to my trek into the city. I woke up around 10am. Given that I had only fallen asleep around 5am, and then still woke up with a headache, plus a stuffy nose and nausea, it was only adequate that the muggy, cloudy day matched my mood.

By 12, I was tired again and the bus was at 2:20pm, so I went back to my bedroom for some quiet time. This time, the kids stayed in the living room, and I got to sleep until 1:45, when I packed my backpack with everything I needed.

Down to my last $2, I checked my only credit card on a whim and found out I would not, as I previous thought, have to go 7 hours without eating because I had no money and D doesn't have transportable (a word?) food. So into the city I went, only panicking once because I couldn't remember if I had read the bus schedule right.

I watched the third shift workers asleep on the bus with quiet amusement and found myself thinking about all the positive things I love about my job. Even though there are times when I'm bored at work, I get to wear clothes I love, I work with great people, it's not difficult or physically exhausting, and my most basic duties include a computer, a telephone, coffee, and smiling. Things I love, really. {=

As the bus pulled into the stop, it dawned on me that, no matter what my ailments, I really couldn't handle another three or four weeks of boredom and unproductivity at D's house. I need to go back to work, but when? And are my priorities straight? Or am I just being impatient and jumping on the first opportunity for entertainment? Do I just miss the paycheck?

So I put it to the back of my mind, telling myself I would write about it later, and dwell on it then. I refused to contact my boss and check out my options before I started thinking them through on my own.

In the city, I decided to take the early bus to my journaling group, so I could log computer time, and write my own journaling thoughts before I delved into the, soemtimes whimsical, prompts I faced with them. I wanted thinking space.

I still had an hour to kill, so I went to the library. I got books they had put on held for me. I went to my favorite Greek restaurant and got a gyro. And I went to this little coffee shop and got an iced coffee. Basically, I spent some time with my own brain.

By the time the bus came, and I got to my journaling group's meeting place, I was ready to stop thinking and start writing. Here is what I came up with:

I miss my job. The people, the paycheck, the schedule, the business, and the positivity.

I miss feeling productive and social. When I work, my alone time is more valuable, and I actually feel accomplished when I get things done in a day because I had to work within a schedule.

Sitting at home is putting me in a claustrophobic funk.

And:

I am afraid I will lose my job if I stay away too long.

I am worried that I will be bored and frustrated when I go back, and that has helped me rationalize staying out of work, instead of just talking to my boss about gaining some more responsibility. I recognize that I was only there two months, but she saw me as valuable enough to give me the time off. And I should see myself as valuable enough to speak up for my own learning curve.

Finally:

I want to be back at work for my birthday. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, and I should get an all clear on being able to go back to work. Unlike a lot of people I know, I actually love working on my birthday. I feel special all day, and I get to be social.

My birthday is next Tuesday, so I want to be back on Monday, if my boss is okay with that. I don't think D will be okay with it, because she thinks I need more time to rest and destress. But not working is even more stressful than working, by far.

Okay, I think this is probably the longest post I've put up so far. And I know I've babbled a bit... Just let me know what you think about my decision, okay?

Skinny

I picked the name of this post for two reasons. One - I just finished a book called Skinny (by Diana Spechler) and I'm going to talk about it. Especially because I am a reviewer for a blog called The Readers Cafe, and I will be reviewing the book in further detail there. And two - I listened to a podcast this morning called "Live. Love. Eat." And the woman who was a guest on the show talked about Overeaters Anonymous. A subject I am currently researching. This post, I have a theme.

The book, Skinny, was fantastic. It's about a woman named Gray who, after her father's death, goes to a fat camp to serve as a counselor in search of the truth about her father's past. Throughout the book, all I could think about was the temptation this woman was facing, temptations to settle for less than the best in her life, to do something illicit, to bury her father's secrets, and of course, the temptation to eat.

Obsessive-calorie-counter-turned-compulsive-eater, Gray is a character with real-life flaws that I'm sure many women can relate to. She rationalizes her flaws until she is forced to confront them, on a symbolic rainy day in the midst of chaos at camp. Soon after, the story takes an about face that even I, cynical reader and astute "guesser of plots" that I may be, didn't see coming.

Why do I tell you all this? Because, readers, I am having my rainy debut. That's what the apologizing to ex-friends was all about, and an idea of solidarity behind writing in this blog. I needed something authentic and consistent to push me through the next year. And you're a part of that.

Of course, I am also telling you about this book because I too, like many women I know, actually, am an emotional eater. I tried for a long time to deny it, because when I'm sad or angry I am no where near food, especially now. Now you'll find me writing in my burn journal (which should be burned if I should die an untimely death - mom) or going for a walk. The last time I was in hysterics, the only thing on my mind was to get out of the house and blow off steam before my razor sharp angry tongue unleashed itself on some poor soul. But food? Not even a whisp of a thought in my head in the moment.

And then I caught myself eating when I was honestly just bored. I looked down at the Bugle bag, and thought, "Why am I eating these? They aren't good enough to be munching on right now, when I'm not even hungry." So I stopped, and I owned my disordered eating. Gray and I have that in common, because I've caught myself in fight or flight mode, where I felt like I ate enough for it to be my last supper and I was worried about whether I would eat again. Like, ever. It's this panic that you can't even begin to control, and you feel like you just need to store food for winter or something crazy.

A lot of people don't understand that feeling at all. The can just eat when they're hungry, or not eat when they're not hungry. They don't see food and start thinking they are hungry after they just had dinner a few moments prior. But I deal with that all the time.

Which brings me to Live. Love. Eat.

A podcast about loving yourself, the first guest speaker (and only session I've listened to thus far) was a woman who is a member of Overeaters Anonymous (OA). There is a chapter near my house, and I've considered it, given my recent awareness of disordered eating. The coolest thing about OA is that the people in it don't all look the same. It's not AA where people are all recovering from the same addiction with different symptoms, or NA where the source is different and the withdrawal is the same. No. OA has people of all different sizes, because disordered eating comes in different forms with different symptoms and different signs and different outcomes. Two bulimic women could be complete opposites, one thin and one fat, but yet they are both bulimic.

In high school, I struggled with even more aggressive disordered eating. Diet pills, purging, binging, and starving were all part of my cycle, and I never lost weight for the long haul. Instead, I kept the weight on, and added more. Add in some lovely mental health drugs, and you've got weight gain that could make a sane person lose it. Her sanity, not the weight.

So OA is sort of a welcoming environment to me. It is regimented, with the twelve steps and all, but the part that scares me isn't the commitment or the program. It's the "believe in a higher power" bit. Yes, all the twelve step programs, OA, NA, AA, etc, have a higher power. But listening to the podcast, I found out that OA doesn't define the higher power as God, or Buddha, or whomever else you might want to call out to in your prayers. It doesn't even have to be a higher power in a spiritual sense, but rather it can be the fact that you are loved, as something bigger, and thus more powerful, than your disordered eating.

So maybe next Monday, ironically around lunchtime, you will hear about my venture into my first OA meeting. I know it's anonymous, but I'm not ashamed of my emotional eating anymore. I'd rather be honest with you, reader. Because in the end there is only one higher power who'll be judging me, and it's not you, or you, or you.

Buenos Suerte

I know I wrote this macho introduction Saturday about how it was DAY ONE, but this is the real day one. Today, I went back to D's from my parents' house. This is it...

Hopefully today I get the check that will allow me to go back to school. And if I can't go back to school until spring, I will figure out a better way to use my extra funds for the next few months. Like weekly massages. Yeah... Screw the medical bills. Let me focus on the real way to reduce my stress. I can't see how weekly massages could be a bad thing.

Did you read over the choice I have to make between gyms? I'm honestly torn because if I go to the gym that is farther away but cheaper, will I actually go if it means taking two buses to get there? I mean, it's great that the hours are better and that I will have access to top-notch trainers and equipment. And it's certainly awesome that I can bring a guest along, meaning I will have an excellent excuse to spend time with my best friend. But will I ACTUALLY go? I don't know...

I started a new journal yesterday, too. It's supposed to be like that guilty journal we all should have. The one that should be burned if you die? I am keeping it because we all need one to write down our fears and insecurities, and that's what this one is for me.

Lastly, I went for a run in the rain on Saturday and it was AMAZING. I never thought I'd be a runner, but in the rain, there is something liberating about not sweating to death and getting to see people look at you like you're crazy. Haha!

Until next time... ;)

(P.S. Buenos Suerte means "Good luck" in Spanish. FYI.)

Forgiveness

Sometimes it's hard to forgive someone. And sometimes it's hard to forgive ourselves. But do you know what's even harder? Forgiving your past.

I find myself dreaming almost wishfully about my past and the things I could have done differently. I could have gone for that job, I could of told that guy I liked him, or I could have done better in that class.

I think of the jobs I really liked and could, no should, have kept. The friends I've lost, either through my own faults or theirs. Or the money I spent that was more of a waste than an indulgence.

I still dwell on the people who have ditched me, the employers who used me, and the opportunities I didn't take advantage of in my past.

But I've got to look forward.

You know readers, this post was inspired by a dream I had last night about being an RA at school. If you don't know, an RA is a Resident Assistant, and they basically run the dorms. I always wished I would've gone for that job - I was a shoe-in.

It doesn't help that two days ago I spent about an hour writing apologies to the people who I've scorned, and then actually sent the letters. It's was about as much for my benefit as it was for theirs. I did want them to know I was sorry, but I also felt like I needed to forgive myself.

Have you ever done that? Either written a letter or said a prayer or something to that effect to someone who was once a part of your life and now isn't?

If you wrote a letter, did you send it?

I love the book Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert. And I bring that up because in the book, Liz writes a lot. She is, after all, on a voyage of self-discovery. But one of the most important things she does, is she writes to herself. I know, it kind of sounds crazy.

It's not.

She writes to herself in a way as to reach the forgiving, loving part of herself that most of us just don't have access to. And although I haven't done it (yet), I have thought about it. Basically, it is like meditating out loud, and you're searching for the only reasonable answer to your question at that exact  moment in time.

So, for example, right now I would say "should I go to school this semester or save money and return in the spring?" And the most logical answer would be "meet with your financial aid advisor and figure out your options."

By the way, today I go back to D's house. I told her I was coming, but she didn't respond... Is that an omen?

Phew.

Shortest post. EVER.

I just hit my first 1,000 views. BAMF.

Join the navy: See the world

What if I joined the navy? Saw the world, paid for my education bills, and got trained as a medic?

Today I saw the movie Larry Crowne, a movie about a guy who loses his retail job because he didn't have a college education and was therefore unqualified to move up in management. The movie revolved around how this man's life changed because he was met with dead ends at every job he tried after getting fired. So he went to college, and changed - his look, his house, his ride, and eventually his knowledge of economics.

But the message I pulled from Larry Crowne was different. I realized that, no matter what is going on right now, tomorrow really is a whole new day.

So what if I don't keep this job? Or I continue living rent free? So what if I go back to school and forget about working for once in my life? SO WHAT.

Maybe tomorrow I'll fly to London. Become a bartender. Join the navy.

Stigma THIS.

Hey readers =) Thanks for checking in today. I've wanted to blog about this topic for quite awhile, so here is a hot button topic that I KNOW touches more than one person who reads this blog. (Myself included).

Mental health issues.

Anyone who knows me, knows I've had my share of experience with depression. And I probably have equal amounts of friends who have dealt with or know someone who has a mental illness, as I do friends who have no experience with it.

Let me be honest, though. I really doubt there are many people whose lives have not been touched in any way, shape, or form by a mental health issue.

For instance, if you saw anything about the kids who have been posting on YouTube for the It Gets Better videos, you are connected to someone who has been affected by someone with mental health issues. That is, to say, that the people who have been posting It Gets Better videos are addressing those videos to all the LGBT teens who have committed, are considering committing, or have known another LGBT teen who has committed suicide.

Maybe you have a cousin, or a niece, or a parent, or a friend, who has dealt with depression. Maybe you just know someone who knows someone. But regardless, you are affected.

So now my real point: stigmas.

One of my biggest pet peeves is someone who assumes they know another person because that person has admitted to fitting into a label.

Whether that label is of sexual preference, religion, political preference, or having a mental illness, no two people are alike. How would you like it if someone made assumptions about you because of something you admitted to?

It takes a lot of courage to admit you have a mental illness. More courage than it takes to pick a side on the political spectrum. And yet people who identify themselves as a Democrat, or Republican are not ridiculed for that choice. Which is, by the way, a choice. Having a mental illness is not. Would you make fun of someone for having pancreatic cancer? I didn't think so.

Have you ever been the recipient of, or witnessed someone being marginalized because of a mental illness?

My truths

You never truly know yourself until your lowest moments, and every day you learn even more about your core truths. Here are the things I learned about today... my truths, if you will:

I love tootsie pops.

Inspiring quotes sometimes describe my life better than my own words.

Mylifeisaverage.com, http://onesentence.org/, http://averagewizard.com/, http://www.ted.com/, and http://1000awesomethings.com/ all represent websites that can infinitely cheer up my day, soothe my heart, and change my perspective.

It makes me crazy when people can post on Facebook but cannot respond to a text message.

I am incapable of the silent treatment.

Life will get easier.

Editing and organizing are like electric shock treatments that can calm even my wandering mind.

Today is a good day because I got to eat three meals, sleep in a (mostly) warm bed, go to work, and see friends.

There are people in this world that will always hold a place in my heart, no matter what they do or where they go. Megan, Maggie, Nicole, Ryan, Amanda, Sara, Michael, Amber, Ashley, Steph, Josh, Stef, AJ, and Darius - I love them all, even though some are no longer a part of my life.

What are some truths you discovered about yourself today?

37 Pick-me-ups

Today I was feeling a bit under the weather, so I am writing an easy blog... since I still have the urge to write even though I can't keep food down. (Yeah, I don't really understand that phenomenon either.) What are the things you really enjoy doing? Your hobbies that, no matter where you are, if you get to engage in one of these your day is significantly improved.

When I initially started brainstorming, I could only think of maybe 5 things. But then I looked up "List of Hobbies" and found that I am much more diverse than I give myself credit for. So here are 37 things (with little explanations) that make my life a bit brighter.

1. Art - Where I live, one of the best times can be had on the first Friday of each month, when a road in the city called "Gallery Row" opens up all the Art galleries and serves wine, fruit, cheese and crackers for people to browse and nibble as they observe the art.
2. Baseball - I'm a Phillies fan. Enough said.
3. Bicycling - This has become a necessary enjoyment, of a sort, because I need my bike to get everywhere.
4. Blogging - Hello? Obviously.
5. Board Games - I'm not very good at these unless I play on teams, hah, but I still have fun whenever one of my friends throws a game night!
6. Camping - I haven't been on a long camping trip in years, but the nostalgia from when I was a kid is carrying me over until now. Just don't ask me to go to the bathroom in the woods!
7. Card Games - I love learning new ones, and I love the fact that I can just carry a deck of cards and find something to do with anyone. Go fish?
8. Cooking - I enjoy this in spurts - sometimes it is all you can find me doing, or I'm putting in a full day of cooking in the kitchen. Other times I just want to eat cereal and leave the kitchen alone.
9. Crafts - Think less Popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners and more picture frames and bookmarks.
10. Dancing - I feel like Kevin Bacon from Footloose.
11. Eating out - There is something to be said about fine dining. Or really, about eating anywhere that doesn't involve cooking in my house.
12. Entertaining - When I have my own place... I like to be able to put out a spread and just have friends over. It's nice to know I can have fun with friends without going out and spending a fortune.
13. Going to movies - I'm game for pretty much every movie! Except scary movies... I have a strict rule about going to those with only guys. I'm going to see the Avengers this week!
14. Hiking - The last time I went was on a  first date a few weeks back to watch the sunrise. So. Sweet.
15. Jewelry Making - This one falls under crafts a bit, but it's also its own creative endeavor. Since I learned to make earrings, it's certainly been helpful when holidays come around!
16. Jigsaw Puzzles - I never thought I would enjoy these as much as I do, but when I was in the hospital this guy and I would sit around a table for hours and just work on them. Since then, I've been hooked!
17. Keep A Journal - I'm pretty sure I've been doing this since I was old enough to write. One of my best stress relievers is being able to make lists of things to do.
18. Laser Tag - No explanation necessary.
19. Learning A Foreign Language - Porque quiero hablar en espanol cuando voy Espana. (Because I want to speak Spanish when I go to Spain.)
20. Listening to music - From The Beatles and Elvis to Queen and Def Leopard, from Nickelback and Saving Abel to Pink and Katy Perry, and from LMFAO and Christina Aguilera to Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood - I love music.
21. Meditation - I was lucky enough to be taught how to meditate by an Indian man who was an excellent teacher. I don't do it often enough, but every time I do I feel better about just about everything going on at the time.
22. Motorcycles - How do I put this? I want.
23. Origami - The Origami crane still alludes me, but I make a mean swan, and it is one way to keep my mind occupied when I am bored and waiting for an appointment or something similar.
24. Photography - I wouldn't even call myself a novice, that is how much I don't do this hobby. But when I get on a photography kick, everything becomes a muse.
25. Pottery - Painting, not making. Although I want to try making it too!
26. Reading - If there are words, I will read it. Almost.
27. Shopping - I take "retail therapy" to a whole new level, hah.
28. Singing - If I'm not singing, I must be sick.
29. Sleeping - When things get just a little too overwhelming, I take a nap and feel instantly better.
30. Swimming - If we had a pool, I would be swimming every day.
31. Traveling - Whether it be a school trip to Washington DC, a day trip to see a friend in Philly, or really - just going into the city for the day - I love to travel. I hope whatever job I get in the future allows me to travel on a regular basis.
32. TV watching - Sometimes, escaping into another reality (almost as good as reading) is just what I need to feel better. Now if the show has a musical element to it... I feel even better.
33. Urban Exploration - This falls into traveling, too, I think. I love to go through a city and find the best little places to eat or read or get lost.
34. Video Games - When I have a TV, you'll find me on my Wii. But right now, I'm enjoying my DS.
35. Volunteer - I hope to one day be a volunteer firefighter. Right now, I just get my volunteer fulfillment from working at homeless shelters, food banks, or the YWCA whenever I can. Community cleanup days work too ;-) 
36. Working Out - When I started working at the gym I thought the people who enjoy working out were crazy. But really, I enjoy it too. I don't really get the adrenaline rush, but I do feel very accomplished when I finish a great sweat session. Plus, by working out I am working towards a 5K, a goal on my bucket list.
37. Writing - Do I even need to touch on this one?

What are your hobbies? Can you think of more than 3 or 4 things that really brighten up your day? Thanks for reading!

What I've learned, a Top Ten Featurette

Hello! First of all, thanks to everyone who has read up until this point and those who have left such amazingly supportive comments. Secondly, I'm sorry I've been so lax in posting recently, things just got busy! I'm sure by this point you all kind of instinctively "get" that I really like lists, so let me do another Top Ten to jump start my blogging fervor.

Ten things I've learned (thus far) in 2012:

1. Negative feedback is only one person's opinion. I had someone comment on my novel idea in a class I'm in with some pretty critical words. They thought the idea was too dark, and that I should make the writing more "happy," I believe is how she put it. At first I was kind of crushed - after all this was my mini epiphany, and I was loving every moment of writing it. And then I wanted to explain that this story wasn't supposed to be light-hearted and happy - it was supposed to be gritty and rough, and full of heart-wrenching exposure. The kind that makes your soul ache for the protagonist and just hope that there is a different ending than that which is foreseen in such a dark story. But I didn't. Instead, I just thanked her for her opinion, and for reading what I had so far.

2. Being published gives me a a huge ego boost. I've been published in a newspaper before, and a poetry book when I was 13. Blogging is like being published too, only I have complete creative control - also a bit of a high for me. But about a month ago I was published in a bridal magazine for writing an article on equal pay for women, and seeing my name on the byline - in a real publication that wasn't run by students (read: school newspaper) - was amazing. I can't wait to do it again. Freelancing is hard, but I think I need to keep on pursuing it and eventually I will break into the industry.

3. Life changes - fast. Okay, so this one branches over the last few years really, but I think I am finally learning to go with the flow as far as life changes. It's bizarre how much you can become accustomed to living a certain way, being with someone, or having a routine -- and then how quickly everything can be altered. I guess the life lesson in this one is to live life as best you can and try not to get too attached to anything because eventually, it will change. Maybe for the worse, maybe for the better - but nothing is static.

4. It all works out in the wash. I've had to come to terms with losing this year. Losing friends who chose to leave in the face of hardship, losing jobs that rightfully couldn't wait for me to turn my life around, and losing housing in the midst of craziness. But you know what? I am still standing! I am still here, and lucky to have a friend who I could lean on for a place to stay, a can-do attitude for finding new jobs, and frankly, stronger friendships because they stood the test of time. I may have regrets right now, but the past is in the past, and it'll stay there no matter what. Or, if I may, no matter how much laundry I do.

5. I am blessed. It's a bit hard to pull perspective when you're down on your luck or facing the bottom of a piggy bank. But when I think about all that I have - a family who loves me, friends who'll support me, a college education, food in my belly, a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and access to clean water, good coffee and WiFi - I have to cringe at the thought that I thought I was at rock bottom.

6. You can't change who you are inherently meant to be. This was a tough lesson, but I definitely learned it in the last four months. I tried changing for a man, and that didn't work. I attempted to mold myself into an ideal student, and that wasn't me. I worked on being a health guru - fitness, nutrition, and a more serene lifestyle - and that certainly didn't end well. (Mostly I was hungry, tired, and too grumpy to meditate instead of taking a nap). But I did a good job of learning what I'm not. I'm not a vegetarian, or very good at perfect attendance. I don't like routines, and I think counting calories is for the birds. Of course, I also learned about things like my passion necessities - see my other post - and my objet d'amore. And I got to write about equal pay, and meditation, and skin care. I did learn, and grow - but I am also the same old me.

7. This blog has become an inspiration in itself. I say this because I am less than 150 views away from hitting 1,000 views. And that's awesome! My favorite part of coming onto here to write or brainstorm is seeing new views and comments. It's like I'm touching a little part of the world - even if half those views did come from my mom, gram, and aunt.

8. The smartphone is a fantastic invention. Before January, I'd never had one. As April comes to a close, I can't see myself going back to anything less. I can check my email, listen to podcasts, create to do lists, update my calendar, browse Facebook, Craigslist, and Twitter, and Google the heck out of curiosity. And that's just on the bus on the way to the city. Ahhh-mazing.

9. You can't outrun your debts. As most graduating (or soon to be graduating) college students find themselves, I am in debt. And I know I've got to be responsible and pay it all off - the loans, the medical bills, the credit cards. Everything. For awhile I tried to live in denial (we can call it a phase ;-), and just wish away the bills. But still, here they sit - and I've got to get proactive. So keep your fingers crossed that the salon job I interviewed for on Thursday works out and I can get on the bandwagon of being an ADULT.

10. Some of the wisest words I know are: "I'm sorry," "I was wrong," and "good luck." I'd like to think that this one is fairly straightforward, but I have to mention that I am growing more humble by the day. With it, I have learned to be independent, and completely honest about the state of my life. It's incredibly liberating. I don't keep people in my life who don't belong there, I don't work on things that don't make me happy, and I try to send out some positive karma every chance I get.

Whew! That was practically a post and a half! If you're still with me - thanks for reading! Until next time!

What's bigger than love?

I am watching the show SMASH, and in the latest episode, I watched a conversation between two characters who are discussing the direction of a script that is being written. It sparked a blog post... so here goes!

Writer: "It's not just about love. I'm going for some bigger themes in this story."
Actor: "What's bigger than love?"

Good point, actor. Good point.

Sometimes you've just gotta keep things in perspective, and that means focusing on the biggest and most important things in your life. For me, and most people I imagine, that means love.

Oh you might say that love isn't the most important thing in your life. But that would make you in denial. Because ultimately, everything boils down to love. The clothes you wear, the job you have, the people in your life, and all the little things, they are all driven by love. Call it passion, or what have you. But it's really love.

Love might be for a special someone, or for your family, or your kids. It might also be for imported Brazilian dark coffee, infused with ground vanilla bean to warm you up on a windy autumn morning.

The love could be for shopping for a little black heel that fits just right, that you work a menial job to pay for. Or it could be for those 1,000-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets that brush against your skin like a cool smooth satin cloud for you to safely rest your head upon after a long day.

That got your attention, right?

So take life by storm, and let love be the theme for which you direct your life. Let love in, and share it when you ride the bus, or sit in traffic, or find yourself in a not-so-loving situation. Me? I'm going to keep going for those Egyptian sheets...

Hugs xo

What is your objet d'amour?

An objet d'amour is a transitional love object. It is the one thing that you grew up with, forever attached to, and that thing that is representative of the happiest of memories. Mine is a teddy bear and a blankie. There is a video tucked away in my parents' house of me singing, at age four, to my teddy bear (his name was Vanilla), along with a Barney video. And he still sits in my bedroom, at age 22, a comforting support on the darkest of nights.

Calling it an objet d'amour only makes it seem more mature, more appropriate for today's times. (French is more mature, right?) Now we use other, perhaps more intangible objects to represent happy times. A photograph collection displayed in a digital frame. A novel worn with page corners turned down and grass stains along the back cover. A favorite coffee flavor that reminds us of the first time we were old enough to imbibe such a grown-up beverage.

I am reading a book called Here If You Need Me by Kate Braestrup and she got me thinking about objet d'amours, and how sometimes, we allow people to become our transitional love objects. Lord knows I've been guilty of doing so. Although guilty may not be the right word... I've relied on someone to help me through the dark and allow me to lean on them, cry on their shoulder, and love them unconditionally.

I think parents must find themselves making their children objet d'amours. A little person that is so receptive of any love you are willing to give, and through their innocence helping you transition through life. I'm certainly not ready for that yet, but one day I hope I am blessed with a little bundle that can be that for me. What is your objet d'amour?

Devil on my Back

"It's hard to dance witmusic ah the dandevil on your back... so shake him off."

What are the basic necessities in your life? I'm not talking about food, water, shelter, and money to keep it all stable.

I'm talking about your passion necessities.

What are the things that you come home to at night that make your day worthwhile? Or wake up to that make your day cheery. Think bigger than the cup of coffee that starts your morning. Think about the intangibles. Reading the paper and feeling like you are now caught up with the world. Walking the dog and feeling like your day is just that much better now that you've had some fresh air. Coming home to your favorite video game and zoning out for hours in a whole different world.

When I look at my life, I've realized recently that I've been focusing too much on the negative intangibles in my life, and not the positives. Like music. And writing. And yoga, meditation, the theater and reading a good novel.

So that's why the above lyric spoke to me so much today. Sometimes, the best way to improve my day is to just lock myself in my bedroom, put my dance shoes on, blast music  and dance like no one is watching. But it's a bit hard to dance with the weight of the world on my shoulders, so today, maybe I can just shake off the devil on my back, and let the music carry me.

You know what else? I like diet soda. And non-organic lettuce because it's cheaper. And yeah, I'd much rather have a drink at the bar that comes in a bottle and costs three bucks and has twice the sugar of a mixed drink. I don't do yoga enough, or meditate enough, and I'd need to run about twelve times a week in order to get rid of all the demons in my closet. But dancing? Writing?

These are my passion necessities. These are the things that, as I look at moving home and dropping out of college, and changing so many things in my life - I cannot give up.

What about you? What are the things that drive your day and that you cannot, no - WILL NOT - give up? For anything, or anyone.

What. About. You?

Am I doing my best?

Today I read a post by a fellow blogger who wrote about her experience with a trainer who, at the end of each day would ask her if she was doing her best. She talked about how, on a scale of one to ten, she really couldn't say that she was delivering a ten (being the maximum capacity or very best she could do) in any aspect of her life. Not as an employee, not in fitness, not in regards to how she treated the man in her life, and not how she treated herself. And I have to agree.

When I go for a walk and set a goal for 30 minutes, there are many times where I get bored or tired and think how 27 minutes is just as good. But it's not. Or when I get my mind set on counting calories and then it comes time to do so... And I just hate doing it so I promise to just be conscientious of what I eat.

This is true in other aspects of my life too. When I work in my office I know if I focused on the tasks at hand I could be even more productive than I am when I'm only half trying.

Or when a special someone comes to see me and I am tired so I allow myself a nap instead of cherishing the time that we have together.

It's true with school, too. I can get acceptable grades like a B without trying very hard in some subjects. But if I'm honest, this isn't my best. If I tried my best, I am capable of A's.

So how do I start really trying my best? Do I just go hardcore at everything at once? No, that'll lead to burnout. Instead, I think one of the most important parts of doing and being our best is deciding what matters most to us.

For instance, I am not happy with certain parts of my life. I don't like that I don't meditate and workout daily.
Or have a regular sleep schedule. Or do yoga. And I'm not too excites about the fact that I work so much for so little pay, so maybe I need to find a worthwhile job in order to begin doing my best as an employee.
In terms of my loved ones, I'm sure they understand that I am trying to be a better sister, daughter, granddaughter, girlfriend, and friend. And I value these people in my life, so now I need to figure out how to balance my personal health and my social/family life.

So much to think about! I am a firm believer that we should live in the moment and that each one of us is constantly growing and developing as a healthy and happy human being, so today I think my words of wisdom would be: patience and contemplation can pave the road to happiness.

How can you improve your happiness? And are you being the best you can be?

The 12-Day Hiatus

This is a post designed specifically for comments. I haven't posted in 12 days. This is the longest I've gone on this blog without posting - it's weird! I feel like I have so much going on in my life that I barely have time to gather my thoughts, take a breath, and sit down to a decent meal. Vegetables? Who has time for them? Sleep? A necessity as much as a luxury these days. Blogging? Not. Happening.

But there is also this other, slightly bigger problem. Writing has become less appealing with the increase in craziness in my life. I don't like feeling down and depressed about writing (and honestly, life in general). So I haven't made the time to post. I've lost some of my mojo, you could say.

So today I'm asking for idea on what to blog about. I kind of like keeping up with the jack-of-all-trades theme I've got going on - so feel free to post most anything! Subjects to avoid: politics and news. I hate to say it, but they just don't interest me on a daily basis. Think more artsy topics - ten ways to.... five things you should.... Why X is better than Y.... How people react to.... When the world ends how I'd spend my last days... (Oh wait, that's a good one.)

PLEASE - I'm asking for your help. Don't be shy. Feel free to leave a comment with 20 topic ideas. And nothing has to be fully fleshed out. If I like an idea, I'm game to research and re-word anything you suggest. Feel free to leave just one idea too - no pressure!

Until... well let's be honest I don't know when I'm writing and what I'm writing at the moment. So until "next" time.

xoAmanda

Food for Thought

Here are some core truths that really spoke to me as I read through a list of 101. These are the ones I can fully equate myself with right now.

The acquisition of knowledge doesn’t mean you’re growing.  Growing happens when what you know changes how you live.

Right now, there’s a lot you don’t know.  And if you never challenge your own beliefs, the list will never shrink.

Whenever somebody discredits you, and tells you that you can’t do something, keep in mind that they are speaking from within the boundaries of their own limitations.

Every problem you have in your life right now is your responsibility, regardless of who initially caused it.

You cannot change what you refuse to confront.

There is good reason why you should wake each morning and mindfully consider what and who you
will give your day to:  Because unlike other things in life - love, money, respect, good health, hope, opportunities, and many more - time is the one thing you can never get back once it’s gone.

If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.

When someone truly loves you, they don’t ever have to say a word.  You will be able to tell simply by the way they treat you over the long-term.

Family isn’t always blood.  They’re the people in your life who want you in theirs – the ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.

Being nice to someone you dislike doesn’t mean you’re fake.  It means you’re mature enough to control your emotions.

If you aren’t happy being single, you won’t be happy in a relationship.  You have to create your own life first before you can share it with someone else.

 Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.

Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out.

Taken from... http://www.marcandangel.com/

10 Questions to Ponder

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
     I think I would be older, if I didn't know my real age. While I don't claim to be wise about many things, I also sometimes feel more mature for my age than is expected.

2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
     Failing. I'll never stop trying, but failing is harder for me because then I might regret it. It's pretty rare that I regret not trying something, because I usually have a good reason for not doing it in the first place (like doing something better!)

3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
     People get into ruts. They continue to do the same behaviors they have learned until something comes along to shock their system into change. Of course, there are also the things - like flossing and filing taxes - that we just have to do.

4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
     That's a part of being human. I want to learn how to fly plane, build an engine for a car, cook like a chef, travel to every continent, learn to snowboard, and any number of things. Some of them will happen, some of them won't.

5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
     World hunger. Honestly. I think it is the most useless cruelty inflicted on the impoverished. There are countries with enough food but political disputes don't allow the resources to make it to those who need them the most. There are countries, the US included, that have more than enough food to go around, but still have starving citizens. Pointless.

6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
     Helping hungry people, or abused women and children. Paying my blessings forward. And sharing my story with anyone I can help, too.

7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
     One of the most frustrating parts of my day is working at jobs that feel less than my potential, and going to classes where I am the only one participating. Right now, with a few exceptions - writing this blog for example - I feel like I am settling for what I am doing.

8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
     I would stop doing the things I do that just don't contribute to my, or another's life. I would travel at every opportunity. I wouldn't say no to extraordinary opportunities or unlikely friendships. I would be living in the present that is currently flying by, and stop wasting time.

9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
     I feel like I have been in more control of my life since I turned 18, but there are also people in my life that have had, or currently have, a hand in my every decision. I'm independent with a sounding board that changes my mind sometimes.

10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
     More concerned with doing the right things. I don't have a trajectory for my life, not in the long term. And sometimes, that brings me down - thinking about the right and wrong turns I've taken to get where I am. And figuring out WHAT the right things are to get wherever I'm going. In "doing things right" I almost always take the unconventional way. Rules are meant to be shaped. Boundaries are meant to be tested. And the road less taken usually has better wildflowers.

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT IF YOU LIKED WHAT YOU READ!!

P.S. I got these questions from http://www.marcandangel.com/

Informational Interviews - Thursday, March 8th

One of the best ways to figure out whether you would like a job is to go on an informational interview. This is an interview that literally is all about you taking the time to ask a professional what he or she does on a daily basis, how they got to where they are and why they do it.

In almost any field, simply calling up someone in that field can provide a great networking opportunity and a chance to take a deeper look into that career path. Just remember, this is not a request for a job. Save your career-hunting questions for another time.
Some questions to ask:

How did you get started in this type of work?
What do you most like about your work?
What don't you like?
What skills are required for this kind of work?
What do you find most rewarding?
What do you do in a typical day?
Would you advise young people to enter this career area? Why or why not?
What, in your opinion, is the job outlook in this field? Is it growing?
What are some related positions a person interested in this area might explore?
Who else do you know whom I might talk with? May I use your name when I contact this person?

DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU'VE READ!!

Bamboo & Hemp - Friday, March 9th

I am becoming more and more immersed in the modern development of sustainable energy, eco-friendly consumerism and ecotourism. In short, going green. So I wanted to post a little blurb about two options available to consumers: Bamboo and Hemp.

Hemp

Clothing, hats, bags and other accessories made of hemp are an organic, eco-friendly option for consumers. Hemp is fast-growing, doesn't require many pesticides, and holds up in a drought, making it easier to produce. Designers such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Giorgio Armani even have hemp collections.

Bamboo

This type of grass can grow up to 24 inches in a day, making it, like Hemp, an extremely renewable resource, and a better option than cotton. Plus, it feels softer than cotton! In addition to being used in clothing manufacturing, bamboo looks much like wood, and is just as sturdy. Bamboo has been the main building material in Asia for eons, and the use of bamboo has become more and more popular here in the states over just the last decade.

How do you eat an animal? - Saturday, March 10th

One bite at a time.

Today I'm writing about setting goals. And to set a goal, you have to make a pyramid with four layers. The Goal, Emotions, Reasoning, and How to.

The GOAL

At the top of the pyramid, write down your goal and make it detailed. For example: "I want to lose 50  pounds in five months." Not, "I want to lose weight." Or, "I want to get healthy."

EMOTIONS

Next, form an emotional connection to your goal so that you are willing to do the work - associate your goal with whatever the ultimate feeling you are looking to feel upon completing your goal. Perhaps it is of feeling loved, feeling happy, or feeling beautiful. What are the emotional benefits to attaining your goal?

REASONING

People can accomplish anything if they feel it is worth it and that they are capable: write down all the reasons your goal is possible and all the reasons it's worth it in this layer. Ex. I will lower my risk for heart disease, I will fit into a smaller size clothing, and I will be able to run longer distances.

HOW TO

At the bottom of the pyramid, you'll define a timeline and break your goal down into smaller goals by both time (5 months = lose 10 pounds each month = 2.5 pounds each week) and by definition: Ex. "I need to start working out 5 times a week for 30 minutes = how to make time to go to the gym; and I need to eat well = how to cook healthy, how to count calories."

And remember to use affirming rewards: for every day that I work out, I will add $2 to my itunes fund; for every week I meetlbs goal, I will get a manicure; for every month I lose 10 pounds, I will buy a new CD."

P.S. This pyramid was created by Jillian Michaels, and THIS (the above) is my goal. Thanks for reading!

Feedback

I'll keep this short and sweet: What do you think of the blog? How do you like the posts? Are there any topics you'd like to see written about? Thanks for reading along!!

Novel Preview! First Glimpse ;-)

I love that you guys read and comment on my work, so I wanted to give you a little something extra today. Remember when I said I am starting a novel? Here is an excerpt from what I've written thus far. Enjoy!

My name is Analeigh, and I am a misfit among misfits, only I do a pretty good job of blending in with the pretty people. I have been playing at the game of life for 24 years, 7 months, 2 weeks, and 4 days. This has been far too long. As I unwillingly approach my quarter-century life mark, I am tempted to call the game – forfeiting in the name of personal freedom and the abuse of legal should-be narcotics. But as I contemplate this decision, I felt the need to explain my ability to so easily give up this life. You see, if I wrote an autobiography, I might call it Assault and Battery or maybe The Short Sweet Life of an Autonomous Human Being or maybe just Trouble. Yes, I think that’s best. I’ll call it Trouble – the illumination of how I got in trouble, caused some riff raff, and officially disappeared into oblivion. So here is my story. Take from it what you will.

Four Great Time Wasters: Tuesday, March 7th

Hello readers (: Thanks for checking out my blog today. I'm finding it fun and a bit more of a challenge to post in groups, so this is the first of two posts I will do today, counting for Tuesday, March 6th. I know many of you are college students like myself, and you probably need an excuse to waste time while midterms are just around the corner, so I put together a list of some of my favorite websites to waste time on. I hope you find some new ones on here and remember to leave a comment if you like what you've read!

1. 1,000 Awesome Things
          According to the Website... "1000 Awesome Things is just a time-ticking countdown of 1000 awesome things. Launched June, 2008 and updated every weekday." Basically, it's really awesome! I loved to go on here and see the tips listed, and I pretty much always agree with the things they find awesome. It inspired me to write my own 1,000 Things That Make Me Happy.

2. My Life Is Average (MLIA)
          This site is pretty great. It is a sarcastic play on words, providing little snippets of users' lives that show just how UNaverage life can be. Some stories are cute, others are funny, and some are just downright outrageous!

3. StumbleUpon
          You know all those useless toolbars that many websites try to download onto your browser? This is one toolbar you NEED. It's amazing - allowing users to "stumble" through the world wide web based on their selected interests, bringing up hundreds of random websites to waste time on. This is where I found a lot of my own time wasters, honestly! Another great feature: pictures. I love photography, and stumbleupon allows me to just browse pictures from all over the world and internet for hours.

4. Pinterest
          I am pretty new to Pinterest, but so far I love it. Users are supposed to be invite only, but I got an invite from the site in less than a day after I requested one - so don't let the "exclusive" claim turn you away. Here is the basic concept: Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard. Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Once you sign up, remember to follow me (javagypsy7)!

So go on, waste time! And thanks for reading!

One Dumb Thing

Today I am trying out another new concept - a response blog. I am replying to a blog post by Danielle LaPorte. Here goes!

What's one dumb thing that you used to believe in?
Danielle says that she used to believe in this poetic, all-or-nothing approach to true love. I think I still believe in that, so I'm gonna have to go with believing in immortality. When I was growing up, I used to think that people had the same life as me. I grew up, blessedly, with both my grandmothers and no deaths in the family until I was in my teens. I kind of had this idea that you came into this world and left this world the same way, with the same people. So imagine my surprise when the elderly in my family started to pass! Where were they going? Seriously, I was SO not ready to leave yet! But of course, I learned pretty quickly that everyone has their time. And my grandparents dying before me was something to be thankful for, as other cultures are not so lucky.

On another note, thanks to everyone who responded on my Sunday reader feedback blog! It was great to hear that you like what you've been reading, and I got some cool new ideas about blog topics. As per the poll I posted, it seems you guys want to read about international news and nutrition in the upcoming week. Done and done ;

Until tomorrow!

Don't forget to comment if you like what you've read!

EDIT: Sorry! Apparently if I edit something Blogger reposts it... Oops!

Days 1-14 365 Photo Challenge

Days 1-17, a set on Flickr.

Photo Challenge Update! I had to switch to Flickr to post my pictures, since Blogger seems to dislike posting photos ;-) Enjoy!

Meditate today!

The inspiration for this post comes from my aunt, who asked for tips on how to meditate.

I learned how to meditate from an Indian man last Fall, and it seriously has improved my life so much. In order to benefit from mediation, you should work towards doing it three times a day, for at least 10-15 minutes. Now, I've read about meditation techniques that ask the meditator to focus on a task or problem they are having and see how meditating can help them solve it, but that is not how I usually meditate. I find that instead I benefit more from simply restoring a sense of calm to my mind...

Here is what I learned to do:

Turn off any distractions and sit in a quiet place. Breathe in deeply though your nose, counting to five. Hold your breathe for five counts, and then exhale through your mouth, again for five counts. It is important that you maintain control of your breath when you exhale - do not allow it to come wooshing out - control your diaphragm and exhale slowly.

Do this five times with your eyes open.

Repeat five times with your eyes closed.

This deep, rhythmic breathing allows you to begin to clear your mind and prepare it for silence.

Next, focus on one word in your mind. Ironically, my word has always been "breathe" because I often tell myself that, and because I can then focus on the action of breathing while I meditate.

For the next ten minutes, allow yourself to sit in peace, eyes closed, breathing normally, and focusing on your word. When your mind drifts, just bring it back to that word, and you will learn to train your mind not to wander. Also, I find that when I am having a particularly stressful time and it is difficult to concentrate, I literally write the word in my mind on a chalkboard, or watch as my word becomes different shapes and plays across my mind.

There is no wrong way to train your mind to focus on meditating, but I do recommend that you stick with the same word each time you meditate. Also, picking a positive word that represents your goals is helpful. Some ideas would be wellness, passion, faith, or serenity.

After your ten minutes are up, you will do the opposite breathing of the way you came into meditation. Do the five inhales-holds-exhales with your eyes closed.

Repeat with your eyes open.

And then enjoy the beginnings of inner peace.

Thanks for reading!

How to Become An Interior Decorator - Saturday, March 3rd

Here is a profession I always thought would be really cool to be able to do. There are courses and schools out there that would be able to fully educate you on the principles of design, colors, and more - but you can always start here!

What is an Interior Designer?

An Interior Designer is a person who focuses primarily on decorating interior spaces. This includes choosing a style, color palette, selecting appropriate furniture, floor and window coverings, artwork, and lighting. Designers are also involved in designing architectural detailing, such as crown molding and built-in bookshelves, or planning layouts of buildings undergoing renovation. Interior designers must be able to read blueprints, understand building and fire codes, and know how to make the space accessible to the disabled. Designers frequently collaborate with architects, electricians, and building contractors to ensure that their designs are safe and meet construction requirements.

1. Train your eye
    - subscribe to and read design magazines (check out the magazines available at libraries, if you can't subscribe on your own)
    - visit show homes
    - visit homes for sale in wealthy neighborhoods to see how professional decorators designed the spaces
    - visit art galleries to get a feel for color palates
    - visit offices of interior decorators

2. Educate yourself
    - research space planning (how to arrange furniture and other items within a particular space)
    - use of color and light depending on different area sizes and shapes
    - furniture and decorating styles (ex. modern, country, antique, etc.)
    - know your floor types, wall coverings, and window treatments
    - use of accessories (such as pillows, art, plants)
*There are plenty of books and websites that educate on the above, as well as going to hardware stores/home decorating stores (bed, bath & beyond!) as resources

3. Practice at home
    - rearranging the furniture
    - painting
    - changing rooms around on a budget

4. Volunteer your services
    - friends & family members
    - just for occasions:
        * marriage/co-habitation
        * new home
        * new baby
        * parties
        * hosting an event
        * starting a home business

5. Prepare a portfolio
    - photographs of spaces you have designed (15-20pictures at least, include before & afters) in a photo album or portfolio case
    - letters of recommendation from people you have designed for - either voluntarily or paid
    - carry past design boards (posterboards with pictures & samples of fabrics, flooring, wallpaper, etc. to show clients what you recommend)

6. Get a job
    - start within the industry: interior design and decorating firms - Internships are ideal
    - create a resume that promotes decorating, creativity, customer service, and organizational abilities

7. Establish relationships with suppliers
    - companies that supply your products & services you need
    - manufacturers of furniture, wall coverings, flooring, fabrics
    - contractors who do painting, carpentry, installation, etc.
    - shopping as a professional interior decorator, you are entitled to interior discounts of up to 50% off the regular retail price which you can then pass on to clients

8. Get clients
    - could include home builders, new home buyers, wealthy home owners, professional couples, advertising agencies, art galleries, bed and breakfasts, boutique stores, corporate head offices, hotels, law firms, restaurants, spas, and many other types of businesses
    - work with professionals who can refer business to you, such as real estate agents, architects, antiques dealers, art dealers, home renovators, and owners of businesses that sell home furnishings
    - other marketing techniques include putting up a web page with photos of interiors you have decorated and getting publicity in the homes section of your local newspaper

9. Grow as a professional
    - continue to learn new decorating techniques
    - once you start a business: attend trade shows, continue to read decorating magazines and books, and join professional associations
    - impress clients & have an advantage over the competition by becoming certified as a professional interior decorator

Interior designers draw upon many disciplines to enhance the function, safety, and aesthetics of interior spaces. Their main concerns are with how different colors, textures, furniture, lighting, and space work together to meet the needs of a building's occupants. Designers plan interior spaces of almost every type of building, including offices, airport terminals, theaters, shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, and private residences. Good design can boost office productivity, increase sales, attract a more affluent clientele, provide a more relaxing hospital stay, or increase a building's market value.

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How Geography Chose Me - Friday, March 2nd

It was in my seventh grade geography class that I had my first true introduction to the international community, the effect of politics, and the reality of human emotion. Most people remember that day with a different perspective, but 9/11 will always be the day I realized that there was a world bigger than me out there, and I wanted a piece of it. However, even with this abrupt change to my once-limited worldview, the field of geography didn’t seem like a choice for me because, like most students educated in the public school system in America, I didn’t see geography again until college. 

Since elementary school, I have been an above-average student. Excelling with a passion for learning, and never really accepting anything less than a B- as a legitimate grade, I made my way through high school and into Millersville University. I stumbled into my first geography course almost accidentily, taking it to fill a general education requirement, and remembering fondly how much I had enjoyed my seventh grade geography class. By the end of that semester, I had picked up geography as a minor, my passion for the subject rekindled. Still, it wasn’t until I was told “no, you cannot do that many majors and minors,” that I really started to focus on any sort of career choices in my future.

Over the next two years I went from being an English major, to an International Studies major, to a Government major, and finally to a major in Geography. In this final transition, Geography as a career path seemed to choose me, more so than I chose it. I faced a semester with incredible bouts of illness, and when I had to drop to part-time status, the two classes I kept were Geography courses, and a light bulb went off inside me – I had found my passion. With Geography as my major, and minors in Government, International Studies and History, plus countless interests in all different fields, I became the student I am today. And the writer I hope to become will always be influenced by this journey. 

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How You Can Improve Your Life in 10 Minutes a Day - Thursday, March 1st

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years, all over the world. It was originally meant to help deepen understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life, but today, meditation is commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction. Meditation is considered a type of mind-body complementary medicine. It can produce a deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind. During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process results in enhanced emotional and physical well-being. 

The emotional benefits of meditation include gaining a new perspective on stressful situations, building skills to manage your stress, increasing self-awareness, living more consciously, focusing on the present, and reducing negative emotions. Studies show that meditation may also help such physical conditions as allergies, anxiety disorders, asthma, binge eating, cancer, depression, fatigue, heart disease, high blood pressure, pain, sleep problems, and substance abuse. The reason behind the effects of meditation is that it reduces stress levels and alleviates anxiety. If we can reduce stress, many health benefits follow. Spending even a few minutes daily in meditation can restore your calm and inner peace, and practicing it regularly allows you to experience tremendous benefits.

People in the contemporary world meditate for many different reasons. These people come from all walks of life. From rich to poor, entrepreneurs and blue collar workers, young and old, spiritual and non-spiritual, and everyone in between. You do not have to be of a certain religion, income level, or ethnicity to meditate, and that is the appeal of such a practice. Meditation helps to relieve tension and stress, helps you focus and sleep better, helps you to remain calm in stimulating situations, and helps you to remember to live in the moment, to think before acting and to be patient. Meditating is easy to do, and does not take a lot of time, so the benefits of meditating are well worth the effort. From this simple daily practice, experts and novices alike have claimed that meditation has helped them to gain inner peace, increase their self-awareness, learn to live in the moment, and even cure insomnia..

Consider your body to be like your bedroom. The more cluttered, unorganized and untidy your bedroom is, the less productive you can be in it. The same is true with your body – every day we add clutter – negative thoughts, emotions and energy from all different sources – people, media, our environment, and work. Meditating cleans out that clutter so you can clear your mind and be productive again. You clean your room and if you work at it daily, it stays clean. You meditate, and if you do it daily, you keep your mind clear, and gain inner peace. 

There are approximately 60,000 thoughts in your head on any given day. Meditation gives you clarity for those thoughts. It acts as a mental filing cabinet, so you can really focus on the thoughts you need to act on. The more you meditate, the more self-aware you become. This internal clarity makes it easier to understand your own thoughts, and desires; and the way you think, feel, and react. It allows you to make decisions without being so easily swayed by outside factors, and instead by listening to your own inner voice. Meditation increases your connection with you inner intuition, and helps you focus, be objective, remain grounded, and react thoughtfully. With this self-awareness, you learn to live in the present. Meditation also helps to make you more efficient, attentive and receptive, and you maximize every moment by doing so.

Meditation is known to help reduce and cure insomnia, as well. One of the primary causes of insomnia is racing thoughts. The bombardment of thoughts on your mind can result in anxiety, stress and depression, all of which make it more difficult to sleep well. Given that meditation clears our your mind and helps you to focus, it leads to a calmness that not only helps you ease into a deep sleep, but also helps you to sleep better. When you sleep, your body works to repair itself from the damage done while awake. This includes building muscles, repairing your skin, and clearing out mental clutter. When you clear out the mental clutter while you are still awake, you allow your mind to rest fully while you are sleeping. 

Naturally, there are some objections to meditating. According to numerous studies, the mental association of those who meditate is of people who have severed ties with mainstream society and are living solitary lives in pursuit of enlightenment. This stereotype insists that only the strictly religious and isolated individuals, including monks, priests, and hermits, can benefit from meditating. Some people also think that meditating is too difficult, takes too much time without an immediate, tangible output, and that it does not actually work. However, the opposite is true.  

Scientific studies show the positive effects of meditation on the brain. Last year, an article in Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging by researchers from Harvard Medical School, University of Massachusetts Medical School, and the Bender Institute of Neuroimaging in Germany, found that brain activity changed in a group of 16 participants who had not previously meditated. Among the enhancements: learning and memory processes, emotional regulation, and perspectives. Meanwhile, a study at American University published in 2009 in Cognitive Processing found that college students who meditated experienced enhanced brain activity.

The greatest facet of meditation is that anyone can do it–anywhere–for free. You do not have to go off on a ten-day mountain retreat, or take up yoga or tai chi. Meditation can be done at home, in the office, and just about anywhere in between. There is no special equipment needed to mediate, and no special training required for you to start doing it. Ray Dalio, the founder of the world’s biggest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, meditates. Steve Jobs meditated. Facebook, Ebay, and General Mills executives are meditators. Google sets up separate rooms at their headquarters so senior staff members can meditate. 

Among leaders and business owners, meditation is growing increasingly popular, because the practice encourages alertness in the present moment, a pause to relax and focus, and an opportunity to re-center one’s self to be a better leader. Often leaders get caught up in what happens next versus what is in front of them right now, and by living in the present moment – dealing with what you can control and letting go of what you cannot – you can make better decisions. 

Over the last ten years, wellness programs in the workplace have increased significantly with the overarching goal of alleviating stress and promoting work-life balance. Meditation helps improve concentration, and a clear mind makes you more productive, especially in creative disciplines like writing. Most people do not use the majority of their brains, and the power of the subconscious mind is one in which past intellectuals have tapped into, including Thomas Edison, Buddha, Confucius, and Einstein. The subconscious mind is much more insightful than anything the conscious mind can create, and meditation helps you to tap into your subconscious mind as a source of inspiration. It also provides management benefits: increased focus, control, and regulation of emotions, all of which help leaders pay attention to what really matters. 

During meditation, you become an observer to reality. By this, it is meant that you become more observant of how people act around you, how your environment runs, and how you think and feel. You become detached from your ego, and with that detachment, you become calmer and more level-headed. With this detachment, you will also find it easier to observe, process, assess and react to everything around you. You become more able to be objective when you react to stressful situations. It also helps you to approach problems in a non-judgmental and non-reactive way. The more in control you are, the more you can focus on what you are going to do. The best leaders are in complete control of their emotions even in the worst situations.

There is no one formula to meditation. It is as straight forward as taking a moment to pause, turn off your electronics, and give yourself a moment of quiet. The immediate physical impact: blood pressure decreases, and brain activity is less frenzied. Get comfortable. Get into a favorite chair or sit on a cushion. The physical environment should not be a distraction.

Focus on your breath. Observe the in-and-out flow of your breathing, and stay focused on that sensation. Breathe from your diaphragm, not your chest. Clear your mind. Put the to-do list aside, and practice every day. A meditation session can be as short as five or ten minutes, sitting on the edge of the bed when you first wake up. The practice of meditation is adaptable, make it work for you.

Meditation is a critical tool towards self-development and growth. It can be used as a way to renew your body and mind, and offers more benefits than any other discipline alone. In business, meditation offers increased focus, a source of inspiration, a sense of control, and stress relief. In your personal life, meditation helps you to live in the present moment, to stay in touch with your emotions, and to clear out mental clutter. Cultivating meditation as a daily habit can only improve your life, and can help you to maintain balance. If nothing else, it can provide ten minutes of inner peace each day, a luxury in today’s fast paced world.

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