This should be pretty easy ... I hate stress, so I'm always trying to lighten things up a bit :) Here goes ...
1. Listen to music ... whatever your favorite type of music, classical, pop, country, doesn't matter! Listen to a few of your favorite songs and you'll instantly feel calmer and happier.
2. Talk to a good friend ... 'nuff said.
3. Watch a romantic comedy or a sitcom ... nothing heavy, nothing dramatic, just pure zone-out pleasure.
4. Read ... books always take me away from whatever is going on in my life and transport me into the author's world. It's a great escape!
5. Go for a walk ... look around and really look at your surroundings. Something about seeing the birds flying, the squirrels and chipmunks scurrying, and the rest of the glorious signs of life around you will lift your mood.
6. Eat a piece of chocolate ... for me it's dark chocolate, but hey, go for whatever you love. Eating chocolate releases endorphins ... instant mood-lift!
7. Color ... yeah, sounds silly, doesn't it? Trust me ... grabbing those good old crayolas and a coloring book (or some blank paper) is great for stress release!
8. Knit ... ok, you could crochet, cross-stitch, embroider, scrapbook, whatever! Crafting is a great mood enhancer ... how can you be down when you're creating something beautiful?
9. Play on facebook ... a true time-waster, but playing Frontierville, Fish Wrangler, or a couple games of Bejeweled Blitz will lift you right out of the doldrums :)
10. Write a blog post ... so, even just writing about ways to lighten your mood has lightened mine!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things I'd Tell A College Freshman
I never went to college (one of my regrets in life), so this is purely from the experience of listening to my friends who went to college & from sending my son (going into his 3rd year) to college!
1. Make new friends ... you're going to be surrounded by a lot of new people. You're used to being surrounded by people who have known you since you were in kindergarten, so this is your chance to make real "new" friends! These people will most likely have alot of the same interests that you do, and perhaps the same career path as well. Talk to them!
2. Hang on to a few 'old' (true blue) friends ... you're going to need them on occasion, and they're going to need you. You don't want to ditch all your old friends when you leave for college, so keep up with the e-mails and texts with the friends you treasure the most, you'll never regret keeping in touch!
3. Apply yourself ... yeah, how many times have you heard, 'But you could do so much better if you'd just *apply* yourself!'?? But it's sooo true! You are going to get out of your college experience exactly what you put into it ... make it the most you possibly can!
4. Take advantage of all the college has to offer ... they have tons of people in support roles to help you find the best classes, study effectively, join study groups, and lots of other things. Seek these people out and take advantage of their talents.
5. Stretch yourself ... try something you'd never have tried at home ... do something a little outside your comfort zone ... how will you find the passion that may drive you if you don't try new things??
6. Explore your new 'home' ... walk around the campus, walk around off campus, take a bus ride to nearby attractions ... undoubtedly the area your college is located in has many cool things bubbling under the surface, get out there and find them!
7. Join a group ... Circle K happens to be near & dear to my heart, but take some time to find the groups on campus, find out what they do & what they stand for, and join one that meshes with your interests and passions ... you'll find instant new friends, and they'll all be interested in the same things as you!
8. Be careful ... be aware of your surroundings, keep your head up, and just be safe.
9. Write home ... sounds trite, I know, but your parents are missing you something fierce! Drop them an e-mail, send them a text, or (gasp) haul out a pen & paper and do it the old-fashioned way. Whatever the method, let the parental units know what's going on, especially in the first few months.
10. This is kind of a "DUH" ... ~HAVE FUN~
1. Make new friends ... you're going to be surrounded by a lot of new people. You're used to being surrounded by people who have known you since you were in kindergarten, so this is your chance to make real "new" friends! These people will most likely have alot of the same interests that you do, and perhaps the same career path as well. Talk to them!
2. Hang on to a few 'old' (true blue) friends ... you're going to need them on occasion, and they're going to need you. You don't want to ditch all your old friends when you leave for college, so keep up with the e-mails and texts with the friends you treasure the most, you'll never regret keeping in touch!
3. Apply yourself ... yeah, how many times have you heard, 'But you could do so much better if you'd just *apply* yourself!'?? But it's sooo true! You are going to get out of your college experience exactly what you put into it ... make it the most you possibly can!
4. Take advantage of all the college has to offer ... they have tons of people in support roles to help you find the best classes, study effectively, join study groups, and lots of other things. Seek these people out and take advantage of their talents.
5. Stretch yourself ... try something you'd never have tried at home ... do something a little outside your comfort zone ... how will you find the passion that may drive you if you don't try new things??
6. Explore your new 'home' ... walk around the campus, walk around off campus, take a bus ride to nearby attractions ... undoubtedly the area your college is located in has many cool things bubbling under the surface, get out there and find them!
7. Join a group ... Circle K happens to be near & dear to my heart, but take some time to find the groups on campus, find out what they do & what they stand for, and join one that meshes with your interests and passions ... you'll find instant new friends, and they'll all be interested in the same things as you!
8. Be careful ... be aware of your surroundings, keep your head up, and just be safe.
9. Write home ... sounds trite, I know, but your parents are missing you something fierce! Drop them an e-mail, send them a text, or (gasp) haul out a pen & paper and do it the old-fashioned way. Whatever the method, let the parental units know what's going on, especially in the first few months.
10. This is kind of a "DUH" ... ~HAVE FUN~
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Ten on Tuesday: 10 Reasons to Love Bacon
This week's 'Ten on Tuesday' topic is "10 Reasons to Love Bacon!" Um, do we really need 10 spots on that list? It's BACON! Then I started thinking ... I guess I could give you 10 ~ways~ to eat it that would make you love it. Yeah, that's it!
1. Plain old crispy bacon ... that crispy-yet-chewy texture, the salty tang, the smoky goodness. Mmmmmm, makes me wish I had some in the refrig!!
2. On a BLT ... the summer classic. With crisp lettuce, creamy mayo (my preference is Miracle Whip), a fat juicy tomato (preferably right from the garden), and a couple of nice thick slices of crispy bacon. Summertime in a sandwich right there!
3. Crumbled on a salad ... can't beat that salty bacon flavor in every mouthful of a gorgeous garden salad!
4. Wrapped around a scallop (or a shrimp) ... the sweetness of the scallop, the saltiness of the bacon. Pure pleasure in your mouth. My secret ingredient is brown sugar, lightly sprinkled over the top before you broil them. Yumm!
5. Rolled up inside chicken & smothered in cheese, maybe with some chopped up spinach or asparagus.
6. Wrapped around a bunch of asparagus and grilled.
8. Sauteed with vegetables & used in a soup base ... those little crunchy bits of smoky salty goodness sure do impart a ton of flavor into soups (and sauces)!
9. In an egg sandwich ... can't have a fried egg sandwich without bacon! There's just something about bacon and eggs, really. Doesn't matter how you cook them, they just go together.
10. In a chocolate bar ... ok, so I haven't actually tried this, but all my favorite food-network stars have raved about bacon flavored chocolate. I am dying to try it, but haven't seen it locally yet. Maybe I need to expand my search ...
1. Plain old crispy bacon ... that crispy-yet-chewy texture, the salty tang, the smoky goodness. Mmmmmm, makes me wish I had some in the refrig!!
2. On a BLT ... the summer classic. With crisp lettuce, creamy mayo (my preference is Miracle Whip), a fat juicy tomato (preferably right from the garden), and a couple of nice thick slices of crispy bacon. Summertime in a sandwich right there!
3. Crumbled on a salad ... can't beat that salty bacon flavor in every mouthful of a gorgeous garden salad!
4. Wrapped around a scallop (or a shrimp) ... the sweetness of the scallop, the saltiness of the bacon. Pure pleasure in your mouth. My secret ingredient is brown sugar, lightly sprinkled over the top before you broil them. Yumm!
5. Rolled up inside chicken & smothered in cheese, maybe with some chopped up spinach or asparagus.
6. Wrapped around a bunch of asparagus and grilled.
8. Sauteed with vegetables & used in a soup base ... those little crunchy bits of smoky salty goodness sure do impart a ton of flavor into soups (and sauces)!
9. In an egg sandwich ... can't have a fried egg sandwich without bacon! There's just something about bacon and eggs, really. Doesn't matter how you cook them, they just go together.
10. In a chocolate bar ... ok, so I haven't actually tried this, but all my favorite food-network stars have raved about bacon flavored chocolate. I am dying to try it, but haven't seen it locally yet. Maybe I need to expand my search ...
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things to Bring on Vacation
1. A good book (or several) ... there's bound to be some down time in any vacation. This proves to be a great time to pick up your current book and do some reading.
2. Knitting ... you can knit on the beach, on the couch, in bed, or in the car. I'm sure you can find someplace to knit just about anywhere you choose to go on vacation!
3. A deck of cards ... hubby and I always enjoy playing a few games of 'garbage' or cribbage during vacation.
4. Map (or GPS unit) ... it's nice to know the surrounding area.
5. List of places to go ... whether you do research before you leave & print it out, ask the front desk clerk, or grab some of the fliers at highway rest areas or in the lobby of hotels, you'll need to know what interesting places there are to visit!
6. Money ... unfortunately most vacations cost money. Whether it be dinner out, a quick snack, something to drink, or admission to those above mentioned interesting places, you're gonna need some cash (or plastic, depending on your style).
7. Comfortable shoes ... if you're like us, you invariably end up doing alot of walking while on vacation. Those cute strappy sandals might look great with your new outfit, but they're not going to feel too good if you're walking for miles.
8. A stash of snacks & drinks ... this mostly applies if you're traveling with small kids! Nothing can ruin a nice vacation more than whining children who are hungry/thirsty/tired. A bag of goldfish and a juice box can go an awful long way to making your day more enjoyable ... more so if they're in your bag & you don't have to search out a place to buy them at an inflated price!
9. Camera ... um, duh! The advent of digital photography has made it sooo easy to snap a few (hundred/thousand) photos of your vacation!
10. Journal ... even if you aren't a regular journaler, this can prove to be a great way to preserve some awesome vacation memories! Write down the highlights of the day each night & you'll be able to look back on the vacation fondly in the coming years. Especially if you leave spaces in the journal to paste in some of the photographs from #9 :)
2. Knitting ... you can knit on the beach, on the couch, in bed, or in the car. I'm sure you can find someplace to knit just about anywhere you choose to go on vacation!
3. A deck of cards ... hubby and I always enjoy playing a few games of 'garbage' or cribbage during vacation.
4. Map (or GPS unit) ... it's nice to know the surrounding area.
5. List of places to go ... whether you do research before you leave & print it out, ask the front desk clerk, or grab some of the fliers at highway rest areas or in the lobby of hotels, you'll need to know what interesting places there are to visit!
6. Money ... unfortunately most vacations cost money. Whether it be dinner out, a quick snack, something to drink, or admission to those above mentioned interesting places, you're gonna need some cash (or plastic, depending on your style).
7. Comfortable shoes ... if you're like us, you invariably end up doing alot of walking while on vacation. Those cute strappy sandals might look great with your new outfit, but they're not going to feel too good if you're walking for miles.
8. A stash of snacks & drinks ... this mostly applies if you're traveling with small kids! Nothing can ruin a nice vacation more than whining children who are hungry/thirsty/tired. A bag of goldfish and a juice box can go an awful long way to making your day more enjoyable ... more so if they're in your bag & you don't have to search out a place to buy them at an inflated price!
9. Camera ... um, duh! The advent of digital photography has made it sooo easy to snap a few (hundred/thousand) photos of your vacation!
10. Journal ... even if you aren't a regular journaler, this can prove to be a great way to preserve some awesome vacation memories! Write down the highlights of the day each night & you'll be able to look back on the vacation fondly in the coming years. Especially if you leave spaces in the journal to paste in some of the photographs from #9 :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
