Muzik

It's been a few. It's not like anyone is really reading these anyway.  I'm ok with it.  I've decided it's ok to just post stupid things on here, because I do and say stupid things sometimes. That's just me, and I'm ok with it.

Glad we got that out of the way.

There is some music that no matter what just makes me happy.

I currently listen to these albums to keep myself sane.  No this isn't a joke. All these albums just make me happy. -No they make me joyful. Do you know how unbelievably awesome it is to wake up to Hall & Oates "You Make My Dreams Come True"?!

Try it sometime.

I dare you to have a horrible day. 

You gots the flu, well I gots the remedy.

Everyone and their mother has been complaining about the cold weather, especially in Minnesota. We've had highs of -2, with -45 windchill.   School closings? NAH. This is normal in the Midwest  So when I hear Californians going "Oh....my....gosh. 50 DEGREES? CANCEL SCHOOL." I'm like, girl stop.

With cold weather comes colds and flues.  I have successfully avoided both thus far (knock on wood), but have started taking precautions.  Cuz, come on, ain't nobody got time for that!  I don't get flu shots because quite frankly, they freak me out. Plus, I have seen numerous people get sick from the shot itself. I worked in a natural food and supplement store through my high-school career and was fortunate enough to pick up a lot of natural/holistic remedies for various ailments.  My mother is a hippy- no seriously, her licence plate is SAVERTH- so naturally I was raised on holistic alternative medicine.  But enough rambling, the point is that I want to share my remedy for avoiding/treating the cold and flu.

Apple Cider Vinegar.

Photo credit to: http://www.planetmattersandmore.com

Seriously, this stuff is the ultimate cure all (runs about 4$ a bottle). I have used it for: cramps, bloating, allergies, breakouts, colds, sinus infections, and insect bites. Don't hurl, but I even naturally removed a mole using ACV.  So why does this stuff work so well? In today's world we are exposed to all sorts of pollutants in the air we breathe and food we eat. These pollutants make the pH levels in our body more acidic than alkaline. High acidity makes us more prone to illness because our immune systems are not operating as optimally as they would if we were more alkaline.  ACV makes you more alkaline, and therefore better able to knock the hell out of a cold or flu.

Now I know some of you are like "Ummm girl, that is vinegar. I'm not drinking that." However you only add a tablespoon or two to a cup of tea or water, so really, you shouldn't taste it at all.  I personally don't mind  the taste of ACV, so when I'm not feeling well I add about 3 tablespoons to a mug of my favorite apple tea, sweeten with honey, and drink up.  I'll usually drink a few mugs of this mixture for about a day and a half before my cold/flu is completely gone.  However, my symptoms are usually gone in about 30min after my first cup! 

So there you go. I've given you the first of my hippy rants on holistic/alternative medicine. Go be healthy!  What do you guys do to beat the flu?

P.S.    A great site/forum that I use for alternative remedies is www.earthclinic.com

DIY: Upcycled Solar Lamp

My first do-it-yourself! Hurrah! Today I am going to show you how to use a few household items to make a neat solar lamp.  I love the concept of upcycling. Taking crap around my house and making it new and awesome? I'm in! I made a few of these lamps for one of my sisters for Christmas, and of course my other sister was like "Where's mine?!"

There are a variety of ways to make this lamp. I'll tell you what I used and then give some other decorative options.

Materials
1. A large wine glass.  I got mine at the goodwill for $0.49.  The lamps I made for my sister were in mason canning jars.  Really as long as the solar panel fits on the top of the canister you use, you're good.
2. A lawn solar lamp.  These run about 3$ at your local hardware store. Charge it in the sunMake sure not to get one that is too small! Again, the only REAL thing you need to make sure of is that this panel fits on your container.
3. Glitter. It doesn't matter what color (black might even be interesting). I have also seen these done with spray paint and decorative pebbles.
4. Hardwood floor polish.  Runs about $1 if you don't have it in your house already. This is what makes the glitter stick!

Step 1. 
Pour a half a cup of the hardwood floor polish into your glass. Cover the canister with something and shake, shake, shake it up so the floor polish coats the inside of the glass completely. I just put the excess polish back in the bottle, but if you aren't feeling quite as ecofriendly (no judgies) pour the excess down the drain.  If you have any bubbles from your shaking, wait until they dissapate (blow on them) before proceeding to the next step.

 Step 2.
Pour as much glitter as you need into your polish-coated canister and coat the sides with your glitter! Shake, shake, shake again!  Dispose of your excess fairy dust as you wish.

Step 3.
Unscrew the charged solar panel from the rest of your lawn lamp, and place it atop your new sparkly glass. You only need the solar panel, so discard the stand as you wish.

Turn out the lights and TA DAAAAAA. Oh so sparkly......

2013 Per Se

As I was driving home from my New Years Eve festivities, I started to mull over what I wanted to do in 2013 that I didn't do (slash didn't do well) in 2012.  Not really a list of resolutions per se, just a general lifestyle that I wanted to lead in the coming year.  So the thoughts just started to flow: gonna let it all hang out, wanna make some noise, really raise my voice, yeah I wanna scream and shout, no inhibitions  make no conditions, get a little out of line, I ain't gonna act politically correct, I only wanna have a good time. 

If you didn't gather, Shania Twain's Man, I Feel Like A Woman was playing low on my radio.  If by the fourth comma you weren't singing along or didn't hear the first 7 notes of the song, GET OUT. LEAVE. NEVER COME BACK TO THIS BLOG. 

Although it's an AWESOMELY silly song, the lyrics still ring true to what I want for 2013.  I stressed out wayyyyy too much in 2012, to the point where I really didn't enjoy it like I wanted to.  I was literally breaking out in stress hives late last spring because I mismanaged my stress.  Yeah, 2012 was not that great of a year for me.  BUT, I will not allow myself to have a repeat of the hot mess that was 2012. NOPE. I am taking charge of the new year and aspire to explore the plethora of possibilities that it could hold.

1. Blog.
As I've just started this, I suppose I should make a point to blog regularly.  A way I release stress and/or energy in general is by venting/talking about it.

2. Be More Selfish.
Again, another contributor to the stress/hot mess of 2012 was that  I was not selfish enough.  Its a weird thing to say, but honestly if I had taken better care of me first, I could have done much more to care for others around me.  I would much prefer to give people the ultra premium version of myself rather than some sub par, busted up, lost her damn mind version.  I need to continue to ask for help, reminding myself that I can't do it all on my own, I have not arrived, and humbling myself to the help of others will make my life easier.  I believe it is when we take a step back and go "Hey actually, I suck at this. But that's ok because so-and-so is great at this! I'll recognize my weakness and employ their strength."  we can get things done. In all, I will take better care of myself.

3. Be More Open and Honest
Although I think I was beginning to do this in 2012, I am going to make a better effort of this in 2013.  I tend to guard myself behind my sarcasm and dry humor.  For those who know me personally, you're probably saying "Be more honest? Wtf? She wasn't honest enough before?" I tend to say what I'm thinking, and avoid use of a filter. I am fully aware that I make some people uncomfortable (by some people I mean some Mormons) but being dishonest with who I am to please other people is simply not a trait I choose to live by. By being more open I want to allow myself to be more willing to learn from others.  I fully believe that we are  individually set in each others paths for a reason.  When I meet people I will be more open to finding the reason they are in my path. Whether you be a fabulous queen or a ratchet hoe, I will take notes.

4. DIY Projects
As promised, I will be sharing some of the DIY projects I have started already.  Being self sufficient is very important to me not only as an aspiring ecologist, but as a knowledge seeking human being.  Share with me some of your project ideas! Let's reuse, recycle, upcycle, and waste not in 2013.  I have pretty much stopped shopping at non-thrift and non-resale stores because A. I'm poor and B. I feel like I'm doing my planet a service by reusing and upcycling.   Share recipes too! I'll share some of mine and try to do a new recipe every month or so.

5. Meditate, Reflect, Pray
My final point, since I'm starting to ramble into the early morning of the first day of 2013..... I will try to go to bed with a less busy head.  By relieving and stripping myself of the day before climbing into my bed, I think I'll get a better nights sleep.  Search, ponder and pray are the things that I must do.  Making a point to pray is something I have to do.  No excuses.  I don't know if I'm quite ready to commit to nightly yoga, but maybe I can commit to it at least a few times a week.

The common theme is to kick stress in this ass this year. I am going to take this year to grow and continue to become a better version of myself.  Life is crazy.  I'm crazy.  That's ok right?

xxx

Introduction

Hi! I'm Sam.

I'm a midwestern girl with a lot of aspirations and ambitions for my life.  I'd like to think of myself as a decent person.  I don't murder, steal, cheat, do drugs, drink, or purposely act nasty towards people.  I have a pretty sarcastic sense of humor that some people tend to take personally (sorry/not sorry), but I promise that I would never intentionally hurt someone's feelings.

I am constantly contradicting myself.  For example, I love fashion.  I love looking and feeling good.  In Italian culture it is a philosophy called la bella figura, which literally means the beautiful figure.  It is a way of life emphasizing a good image from the inside out.  I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to look good and to be honest, anyone who says they don't care what others think of them makes me slightly suspicious of their character.  Really? You don't care at all? Riiiiight.  Here in this blog I plan on sharing my fashion/beauty tips and as many DIY projects that I can.  Hey girl, I'm a poor student and I feel it a duty to share with other poor people how to look like the queen I am on a budget. NEXT.

On to the contradiction.  I study wildlife ecology and I love the outdoors. Nature is where I find solace in this crazy world we live in.  God's green earth is absolutely perfect.  There is balance in all workings of nature.  All living and non-living parts of ecosystems play an important role, and how those roles fit/work together fascinate me.  Notice I said "God's green earth"?  Yes, I'm religious.  My professors and fellow peers in my major have lovingly referred to me as "Sam who's down with Jesus." I'm cool with it.  And yes, I fully believe that science and religion can co-exist.  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, colloquially known as the Mormon Church. I have been called an "unconventional" Mormon (I'm not sure exactly what that means but whatev).  I don't surrender to the social oddities and stereotypes that are associated with my religion, and to be honest I think that freaks some of my fellow LDS members out.  But, although I may not agree with how some members of my church act or think, they have nothing to do with my relationship with God.  When I worship, it is about me and the Big Man Upstairs.  If you worship/don't worship I'm cool with that. Do yo thang girl....erm or boy.

I think I've rambled enough for an introduction post.

Peace homies.

xxx