Colorado-born Musicians

Although the Big Apple, La-La Land, and Chicago tend to get the credit for having the most and best artists with chart-topping tunes, Colorado has its own set of A lister musicians to boot. Here are some of our very own singer-songwriter bands.

BREATHE CAROLINA

moved here to take advantage of colorado's relatively affordable living conditions and made it big in the so-called "emotronic" music world with the song Blackout.

CHURCHILL

This hometown band has recently become extremely well-known for their folk rock style, with songs such as "Change" helping further expand their burgeoning fame.

FLOBOTS

This Denver-based band hit it big in 2007/8 when their single "handlebars" became a mainstream favorite.

THE FRAY

This fabulously well-known local band skyrocketed to national fame in 2005 with their debut album How to Save a Life. Several years later, T Swift would pay tribute to their fame in her Speak Now tour, singing a cover of "How to Save a Life" live at the Pepsi Center. More recently, The Fray has released many other top hits, such as "Heartless" and "You Found Me", on their new albums. They also win my prize for best album cover designs.

THE LUMINEERS

This "alternative" band's hits "Ho Hey" and "Stubborn Love" have quickly placed them on the map.

ONEREPUBLIC

OneRepublic originated in Colorado Springs. This band was started in 2002 and became famous by advertising and performing their talent on MySpace. Their famous songs include "Good Life," "Stop and Stare," "Feel Again," and their first hit single from 2007, "Apologize". 

Hot Cocoa Cookies

A few posts ago, I provided a list of Holiday Break I Spy (In case you missed it, click HERE). As I try my very best to practice what I preach, I took this list to heart and, a few days ago, was able to cross another of the list items off my to-do list: "a new kind of cookie baking in the oven".
I tried the Food Network's recipe for Hot Cocoa Cookies. They're delicious, and provide a fabulous excuse for purchasing a jar of marshmellow fluff, if you are one of those people who adores marshmellows, hot chocolate, or anything containing chocolate in general.
Click HERE for the link for the recipe to bake these delicious cookies.
If you do choose to bake them, I suggest two things: 1). add extra cocoa, and 2). make sure that you have a large chunk of time on your hands before baking; you must account for a large amount of time in which the dough must cool off in the fridge. Do NOT skimp on the fridge time, because this dough can be especially difficult to work with.
These cookies are absolutely delicious, though I must warn you that they crumble when eaten--so arm yourself with an expansive arsenal of napkins before attempting to consume them.

The magazine's image of the cookie.

My version of the cookie!

As you can see, these cookies are definitely do-able; as I was lacking a cookie-cutter while baking these treats, I had to substitute the top of a jar to use instead. Enjoy!

Poem to the Sky

I came across the idea for this poem while I was playing tennis under the beautiful Arizona sky this afternoon. It's just for fun and I whipped it out in about fifteen minutes--enjoy!
(As you might notice, it sort of ended up as a cross between almost a prayer and a love poem. Safe to say that, after reading/writing this poem, I would certainly be flattered if someone called me their sky.)



Poem to the Sky


You are endless and always near,
Painted in shapes and colors
That are always changing,
Moving,
Dancing.
You are my sky.

You are many things at once,
And yet
At moments, you are none of them at all.
These things adorn you, embellish you,
But never would anyone declare
That they define you.
You are everything,
All at once and never, forever.
You are my sky.

You are the one dirction that everyone can find
Without being told--
The center that touches everyone
Even from a distance.
In places you are fiercely aflame,
In moments of beauty that loyally startle.
And in places your colors are murky,
And harsh,
And dark.
These colors let others paint you,
Even though you are a mystery to them,
To us, to all.
You brighten and orient our lives
Even as it is our nature to never fully understand you.
You are my sky.

You are impure with clouds and smoke and creatures,
But your purity was never where
Your value lied.
You are you,
Forever you,
unto yourself
Because you are made of everything;
By contact and seeing,
It is all a part of you.
We are all a part of you,
Even as we are made partly of you.
You are my sky.

You make us light in the day,
And give us pin pricks of stars in the night.
Ever changing,
You are constant and
Unblemished and
Uneven and
Beautiful.
You are the one thing that no one
Would dream to change.
Even when you are hidden,
You are simply more near.
You are my sky.

You are all around us
In every direction.
Below,
Above,
All around.
We are surrounded by you.
But we always know you are above,
For that is the height of your greatness.
You are my sky.

You are that prize we reach for,
With the distinct intent of never equalling.
Endless and seamless,
You caress us and give us space and strength--
Give me strength.
You are my sky.

Holiday Break I Spy

     I Spy is one of the world's classic games. So I except that you already know how to play. Given this assumption, I've invented a new version of I Spy, with a slight twist; the "spying" should no longer take three seconds. You have as much time as you'd like over the roughly two weeks that are coming up for everyone's various winter breaks. Enjoy this new game of Holiday Break I Spy, and play it by yourself, with a best friend, with a not-so-best friend, or with any assortment of family members and acquaintances around at the moment!

Holiday Break I Spy

Your mission--should you choose to accept it:
At one point or another, I challenge you to spy/find as many (or all!) of these things as you can! Once you find them, it is up to you what you do then (wink wink nudge nudge).

I Spy with my little eye

• sunrise in a snowy world
• a new kind of cookie baking in the oven
• a collection of crafts supplies on the kitchen counter
• cider heating on the stove
• the very first footprints after it snows
• decorated pine cones
• three people dancing to corny Christmas music
• that embarrassingly ugly sweater that's actually the comfiest thing in your closet
• candles
• a book that has nothing to do with vampires, robots, or any shade whatsoever of grey
• bows
• a camera, a smile, and at least two people
• the Van Gogh exhibit at the art museum, or a coffee table book of art
• a film that uses English subtitles
• a throng of people who need someone to take a group shot
• mashed potatoes
• a letter to a family member
• a doodle from ages ago that you somehow vaguely remember
• a heap of blankets and a tower of pillows
• a dog's leash (either that of your dog or that of a friend's)
• flowers (believe me, they're out there somewhere)
• the karaoke version of a song on YouTube
• a bottle of bubble bath/body wash
• wrapping paper
• hugs and kisses!

Enjoy your game! Best of luck checking off the entire list.     :)

ATTENTION All Music Lovers Who Want to get in the "Groove"

     Internet-savvy music lovers have been a very lucky group of people over the past years. Between Pandora, Spotify, online radio stations, and YouTube, new, free music is easily and quickly accessible. A new music website, however, has joined the game: Grooveshark.com .

     Grooveshark is a mix between Pandora and iTunes. Membership is free (unless you purchase an upgrade), and you search songs, artists, or genres for songs that meet your fancy and add them to a file called "My Music". From there, you can sort your tunes into Collections or simply create a newly-ordered, unique playlist every time that you log on. One of my favorite features on Grooveshark is that you can select a collection or a group of songs to listen to and change the order of the songs with just one simple click. I am unashamed to admit that I feel a bit like a DJ when using this website.

     This music database has dozens of snazzy features that make music even more interesting. You can click a button entitled "Play my Station" and Grooveshark will create a music station just for you. By going to the website's 'homepage'--which is really a homepage the site personalizes to be best-fitted for you--you can access groupings of songs that are recommended for you; unlike Pandora, you won't have to spend even an instant wasting time listening to some terrible variation of your favorite artist. For example: recently, I've been listening to a rather large quantity of latino pop and rap; Grooveshark soon made me a bizarre recommendation: Portuguese music! I tried it out, in the typical adventurous Grooveshark spirit, and discovered that Portuguese music is actually rather quality. Those songs were instantly added to My Music.

     On the search-bar side of things, the crazy-specific song choices on Grooveshark would transport any music nerd straight to musical heaven. For example, by typing in a song as mainstream as, for example, Fireflies, dozens of results will come up. You can choose however many versions of the song you would like to add to your music collection; they offer radio edit versions, British radio versions, several album versions, single versions, remixes up the wazoo, etc. 

     Another unique feature of Grooveshark is the community aspect of the site. I do not know what the website's mission statement is, but if I were to guess a part of it, I would say that a major goal of the site is to provide music-lovers with music they love--both old and new--and to help them expand their tastes and knowledge by interacting with a wider community of similar-minded people. You can "Follow" artists, random people, or friends via the website to learn about other people's music tastes, and chat about your favorite artists and songs. Or you could simply choose a Station that plays the music of specific artist 100% of the time.

     Each Grooveshark user has a profile, and I must make you aware of one very wonderful thing. Unlike the dull deafult profile picture of Facebook, the Grooveshark default profile picture is a monotone fish. It's so adorable that I doubt I'll ever replace it. 

     There are only two downsides to Grooveshark that I've discovered so far. 

1). Since it is a website, it is unavoidable that, when there is no internet, there is no Grooveshark :(

2). Grooveshark occasionally has trouble buffering songs, and it is common to be in the midst of jamming out to your favorite tune when it goes crackly, pauses, and then continues, expecting you to forgive the incident. 

     If you'd like to try Grooveshark out, here's the link: GROOVESHARK! If you would like to follow me on this website, let me know, though following is by no means at all necessary to enjoy the site. 

     Happy listening!

A Kindness

In Duffy Roll's today, the most amazing thing happened.

I was waiting in line to purchase a mini Irish roll, and a woman came up and was helped before me. I didn't mind, and watched as the cashier took a spectacularly long amount of time to transfer her cash into a gift card. The man who'd taken my order placed my Duffy roll on a box of rolls that someone was coming to pick up, and I patiently waited for the cashier to complete the woman's request.

She noticed me waiting and immediately began apologizing.
"I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed. "Did I take your place?"
I assured her that she hadn't, and that I didn't mind.

A few minutes later, as she was about to receive her newly purchased gift card, she looked at me again.
"I really am so sorry!" she insisted.
"It's fine," I assured her.

She turned her attention back to the cashier.
"Could you please charge her order on my bill, as well?" she asked.
My eyes just about bulged out of my head.

"You are sure?" I exclaimed. "It's totally fine--you really don't have to--"
"Yes, yes, of course," she assured me.

I picked up my mini Irish roll from on top of the box.

"Is that box not yours?" she asked me, surprised.
"No, just this one," I said, gesturing toward my little roll.
"You can pick some more rolls if you'd like," she told me. "I certainly would."

I was even more shocked than before.
"This is plenty!" I smiled. And thanked her about a billion times before she left the store.

Little kindnesses like this one are the things that make me remember that America isn't so bad. We have problems with intolerance and gun control and abuse and stereotyping and pressure, but we also have people who pay for strangers' Duffy rolls just because they know it is a nice thing to do. We have people who feel responsible for making more good things come more people's ways. We have people who do nice things when no one would dream of expecting anyone to do them.

I can't wait until I make my own salary and have the ability to shock people into smiling, in the way that that lady did to me today. I'm still glowing from the memory.

Why I Love Dogs (Reason 1)

Because they remind you about all the purely wonderful things in life, such as the joy you can get from rolling around on the carpet on your back with your legs in the air as if you're running upside down. And because they make you realize that it's memories like this one that you'll remember in twenty years--not the gossip someone spread or the official results from your latest project.

Stressless Music Mix

For all of you out there stressing about upcoming finals, projects, or family holiday gatherings, here is a playlist to help you "de-tox" your pernicious nerves and frazzled wits. Enjoy!

Below My Feet--Mumford & Sons
Don't You Worry Child--Swedish House Mafia
Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)--Kelly Clarkson
Just the Way You Are--Bruno Mars
Between the Raindrops--Natasha Bedingfield and Lighthouse
Shooting Star--Owl City
Stay Beautiful--Taylor Swift
I Won't Say I'm in Love--from Hercules
I Will Wait--Mumford & Sons
Snow (Hey Oh)--Red Hot Chili Peppers
Anything by Lang Lang or Yo Yo Ma
Beach music from Youtube

12/12/12

It's Not Just a Figment of my Imagination--I Promise!

Do you like to write?
Do you ever wish that someone would give you great prompts for writing?
Do you like to read?
Do you ever wish that someone would critique your writing and give you pointers?
Do you like to give people feedback on their writing?

If you've answered "yes" to any of these questions, you should definitely check out Figment.com. Figment is website where teens, adults, authors, and authors-to-be create accounts to write, read, and help others with their writing. The Figment homepage bears the words "figment. WRITE YOURSELF IN."

WRITING CONTESTS
To help us blooming writers stir up our creative writing juices, Figment features frequent writing challenges. These challenges relate to everything from seasonal-themed stories to companions for well-known books or writing styles. It's great fun to see what wonderful ideas people all over the country just like you are cooking up on their computers.

FIGMENT DAILY THEMES
Figment also offers members another invaluable resource in the creativity department: daily prompts.
Figment sends me daily emails, each with a specific daily theme, or prompt. These prompts, as the emails proclaim, "push you to work on the range of your craft [writing], focusing on character, setting, dialogue, personal essay, verse, and more."
For example, several Figment Daily Themes over the past few weeks have been challenges on writing form and description, or, like today's Theme, writing a scene or a poem that is inspired by a certain image of the day. The goal of these Themes for me as a writer is to challenge myself to experiment with new kinds of writing. In a way, these Themes give us writers permission to try totally new and exciting writing styles and formats. Of course, upon responding to the Themes, we can always log in to Figment.com and publish a piece of writing inspired by the Theme. Other members and Figment staff can view published pieces and provide helpful feedback, encouragement, and inspiration. Plus, it's quite motivating to know that other people are pushing themselves to try new things in the prose world, like you.

TAGS
For each story or poem that you write on Figment, Figment lets you place tags to let others know what sort of genre or writing style you've used. Therefore, if you're looking to read a certain kind of writing, you can find it easily on the website. You can also easily organize your own writing on your Figment "desk" to keep everything in order. Also, I should mention, Figment lets you add cover art to each story or poem, keeping things colorful, lively, and fun.

LIVE CHATS
Figment also has another awesome feature: live chats with authors. The thousands of Figment participants include everyone from ten-year-old fantasy-lovers to real world professional authors. Figment offers live chats (communicated through keyboard chatting rather than video) with two authors at a time on a once weekly/twice monthly basis, allowing young readers and aspiring writers to ask authors firsthand for advice and info about their experiences in the writing world.

So, if you are interested, check out Figment today by clicking here! Enjoy, and happy writing!

Holiday Spirit at Whole Foods

For all you holiday cookie-lovers out there, I am pleased to inform you that Whole Foods has now installed its wintertime holiday cookie bar. This delicious treat table is featured in many of Whole Foods' local stores, just in time to share the sweetness of the holiday season. You can find all of your favorite cookie delights, from coconut macaroons to chocolate marble cookies, on this wonderful display. I opted for their gingerbread cookies, which are accessorized with the label of "Gingerbread People," for they offer both gingerbread men and gingerbread women. These gingerbread people are just as delicious as they appear, and as my family and I discovered upon eating one such gingerbread person, the line from the movie Shrek of "Not the gumdrop buttons!" quickly comes to mind with these yummies near. 
With this cookie bar, Whole Foods once again feels very much like a local store, rather than a nation-wide groccery store chain. As you can see in the photo above, the cookie bar has little bags to place individual cookies in, or boxes for those of us with a larger shopping list or a smaller supply of self-control (or both!). Plus, the wax paper provided to safely select your own cookies simply makes you feel like a professional baker. The cookie bar is completed with one last snazzy contraption: a large spool of string connected to a rather ingenious-looking string-cutter, so that you may tie off your little bags of cookies with peppermint-swirl-colored string to keep them fresh and adorably preserved.
All cookies have the same per pound price, so feel free to mix and match your cookie sets as you'd like them! Have a delicious and very warm and happy start to your holiday season!

Check out Some News!

Red Sea Water
At Clovelly Beach in Sydney, Australia, a certain type of red algae appeared with special air and water temparatures. Just recently, the spotting of this algae gave quite a few tourists a panic attack, since the shade of red of the algae resembles the color of human blood!

Dancing Empire State Building
For the first time, the Empire State Building has a dancing lights display for the holiday season. The colorful beams flicker off and on in a "dance" to Alicia Keys' song New York.

The Famous Heads...Have Bodies!

The huge, monumental stone heads found on Easter Island have had scientists, archaeologists, and historians stumped for centuries; how did they get there? Recently, a group of archaeologists tried excavating around the statues for the first time, and discovered that the heads actually are attached to huge bodies! However, the question still remains; how did the bodies get there? Perhaps they were carved from stone beneath today's ground level.




China's New Passport Decor
A few days ago, China redesigned its passport decorations. The new passports include a map of China's territories--and China has added several Asian seas and regions of India to its supposed map coverage. Aside from sparking continental panic, protest, and anger, China's new passport has also set many countries to worrying (again) just what exactly China's goals in the region are.

On Lincoln and Thanksgiving

As Thanksgiving rapidly approaches, we must all take time to think on what we are thankful for. It is not something to be proud of that we must have a day during which we consciously express our gratitude; gratitude and thankfulness should, of course, be expressed all year round. But as Thanksgiving is in fact a reality, it would do only further harm to our consciences if we were to not take it seriously.

            We all have many things to be thankful for. Often, we do not realize the wonderful things we have until they are taken from us, but if we are aware of the miracles and wonders that are a part of our daily lives, routines, and thoughts, we won’t have to wait for our blessings to be taken away for us to realize the gifts we have been given.

            If you find yourself at a bit of a standstill in your efforts to acknowledge the thankfulness that I promise is within you somewhere, perhaps these quotes from the new movie Lincoln will help prompt your mind to remember all the things in your life that are worth smiling for.

  “Abolishing slavery settles the fate for all coming time, not only of the millions in bondage but of unborn millions to come. Shall we stop this bleeding?”

“We are stepped out upon the world stage now, with the fate of human dignity in our hands.”

         —Abraham Lincoln in LINCOLN

            Are we not thankful that brave men such as Abraham Lincoln had the courage and strength of heart to adjust the social and moral fate of our country forever? Are we not thankful that, despite the formidable opposition that any revolutionary faces, our heroes are fierce and unyielding even as they make terrible sacrifices? Are we not thankful that due to one man’s powerful words and will, and countless others’ support and work, a grave atrocity in our country was corrected? Imagine what life would be like without equality as a true guiding political principle. Imagine the price that a country and a world of individuals have paid in the past when they are stripped bare of their natural dignity.

            On a lighter note, we must also be thankful for Daniel Day-Lewis and his costars’ terrific acting performances in Lincoln. If you have not yet seen this new movie, be sure to watch it when you have the chance. I, personally, am thankful that I was able to hear Day-Lewis’ version of Lincoln speak. This man’s eloquence, temperament, and intensely perceptive mind are beyond admirable.

            Abraham Lincoln had the fate of human dignity in his hands when he supported the death of slavery. In our daily lives, it’s easy to think that we and the people around us do not hold the same degree of power over humanity as a whole. Honestly, most people do not. We do, however, have the power to influence how others view themselves and the things around them. We constantly impact everything around us. It can be difficult to realize in the heat of the moment, but tone of voice, body language, and even silence have significant effects on what goes on around us. This Thanksgiving, be aware of this reality. Know that you have the ability to make something better for someone. Be thankful that you are aware of this wonderful power of yours. Know that the people around you might not be aware of this—and be thankful that you can help them see their own importance.

Here’s an example starter list to help you remember the joyous and the bittersweet things for which you feel gratitude.

I am grateful…

• ·      For a loving mother and father
• ·      For two wonderful dogs that remind me that there is always something to love, even after a ridiculously long day
• ·      For the marvelous invention called The Weekend, during which we may sleep in
• ·      For books and my imagination, because they remind me that anywhere, at any time, there are infinite worlds and people and places just waiting to be discovered
• ·      For friends who not only laugh with me but laugh at me
• ·      For Jane Austen, because she never fails to make me laugh
• ·      For artists like Degas, emotions like love, institutions such as charities, temples like Ta Prohm, and phenomena such as a sunset that prove that true beauty is eternal

At the time right before you go to bed, at the moment you awake in the morning, or at any free point in your day, spare a thought for the things you are grateful for. Feeling gratitude is no weakness. Awareness of the things that you are thankful for is an amazing ability that you should cherish. Just remember that when we are conscious and sincere, it is so much easier to love.

Thank you,

Jordan

Blue Craze

As the winter season moves in, many people seem to look a bit blue. Literally. I promise, in fact, that you would be able to spot at least fifty shades of blue in anywhere at any point during the week. It seems that despite the slightly chillier weather, we shall not be stopped from donning our favorite cool color.

            Many people opt for the blue- and white-striped sailor style look. Although you might have thought that that ship had sailed along with the September weather, it is very much still present today. Blue and white designs abound in other patterns as well. From paisley to polka dots and from plaid to animal print, guys and girls alike are sporting this bright, clean-cut look.

            The blue craze isn’t just hitting the normal shirt department, though. With the nippy weather, many people choose to wear dark blue camis below lacy or knit blouses, or pair white skinny jeans with a slouchy sapphire sweater.

            Once snow season begins, look for navy and indigo shades rather than the pale baby blues of summertime. Also, as exam time/ the stressful holiday season approaches, a bold blue shade worn around the eyes (a blue scarf, blue shirt, or blue eyeliner or eye shadow) helps make you look alive by brightening your face and lessening the appearance of red, tired eyes.

            Blue, in its many forms, is here to stay, too. A year-round closet staple to begin with, every once in a blue moon, a new, fresh shade of blue makes its way to color stardom. This winter, deep crimsons, army greens, and (you guessed it!) all hues of blues are at the height of cold weather fashion. Anything from periwinkle to cobalt or royal blue is definitely winter-appropriate attire for 2012-2013. 

A few examples of the blue in action!

Fun Facts

Tycho Brahe, a 16th century astronomer, had several extremely valuable noses (cast in such metals as bronze, silver, and gold) that he wore after losing his nose in a duel when at university.

The French author and satirist Voltaire signed his letters with the words "Kill the infamous thing" instead of such pleasantries as "sincerely" or "best wishes". "The infamous thing" refers to the Catholic Church.

Jane Austen wrote the first version of Pride and Prejudice--called First Impressions-- when she was sixteen years old, but was told that it would never be any good.

Lady Gaga went to NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and was told by professors that she didn't have the right qualities to become famous.

The name "Sophia" is derived from the Greek root sophos, meaning wise. Thus, "Sophia" is literally the Greek word for wisedom. And a "sophomore" is a "wise fool". 

Playlist Update

Here's a few songs to add to your list or to listen to again:

NEW:
Skyfall, by Adele
Radioactive, by Imagine Dragons

CLASSIC:
Ready for the Good Times, by Shakira
Jai Ho, from Slumdog Millionaire

WONDERFUL:
I Will Wait, by Mumford and Sons
It's Time to Begin, by Imagine Dragons
All About Us, by He is We

Fashion Pictures From Anna Karenina

Leo Tolstoy's famous book Anna Karenina is being made into another movie, this time starring Kiera Knightley and an assortment of famous and handsome men. While the cast may be any measure of gorgeous, the clothing promises to be even more spectacular. Kiera Knightley's costuming for the film is elaborate, captivating, and perfectly selected to be the statement film fashion of the year. In fact, although some stores, such as Banana Republic, have already launched ads for Anna Karenina-inspired collections, other designers, such as Louis Vuitton, have also been influenced by her high Russian glamour (as seen by the use of birdcage veils, serious demeanors, and glamourous coat-and-hat ensembles).
Oh, and a few fashion trend predictions on my part that we can expect to see soon:
1). Pearls
2). Curls
3). Headbands
4). Statement winter collars

Here are a few pictures of Kiera's/Anna's lovely wardobe!

Stressed Out?

Do you feel stressed this week? Don't worry, you're not the only one. Here are some stories from real people about how tough and exasperating a week in the life can be.

Teen Morning Zombie Syndrome
For those of us with early-morning engagements, it's easy to sympathize with the struggle of waking up at an ungodly hour to accomplish some task or other and then spend the rest of the day in a blur. One friend of mine had this challenge earlier this week. Determined to be on time to her near pre-dawn appointment, my friend carefully backed up her car--right into the garage door (thankfully, she was safe, though the garage was a tiny bit less fortunate). While I would have spent the rest of the day in hysterics had this happened to me (as I'm sure many of us would), this early-bird driver exhibitied a calm and cool that is admirable and ADVISABLE at this crazy time of year.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball
Another friend has been (along with the rest of us) feeling the stress and pressure about Early Action and Early Decision that have run rampant this week. My friend took advantage of every moment possible to edit and perfect her college essays. This resulted in two weeks of just four hours of beauty sleep a night. I don't know how she's done it. Her eyes, however, seem to protest her recent shut-eye deficiency, despite the high quality of her essays; one of them has become irritated from a lack of sleep and tries to swell itself closed. While my friend certainly went above and beyond the normal requirements that we demand from our bodies, the passing of this deadline has come as definite relief. So don't worry--EVERYONE is stressed! It's hard on all of us.

Cry Baby
Some people rudely insist that crying is only for babies. I beg to differ. This week, my genetic biology class had planned to perform a blood-typing lab. While I was assured multiple times that this activity is nearly a rite of passage for bio students, my panic could not be held at bay. My fear of blood, you see, is the one and only great reason why I cannot be a traditional doctor--I would, without a doubt, send my patients away if they were bleeding (hence my focus in GENETICS, which I actually love). So, in preparation for the blood-typing lab, I made sure to drink extra water in the 24 hours before the class. I probably consumed two times the average amount of water people drink in a day in just four hours. Then, I read through the lab instructions, and caught onto the word "lancet". I naturally Googled "lancet," searching for images to prove that the process would, indeed, be painful and bloody. My visual findings only troubled me more. I only calmed down after a friend sent me a link of pictures of baby penguins. Note to self/reader: BABY PENGUINS ARE INTENSELY RELAXING AND THERAPEUTIC.
So, the next day, I went to class, and in preparation for the lab, our teacher proceeded to detail the bloody, disgusting history of blood transfusion, blood poisoning, infection, and surgery in America, beginning with the repulsive medical practices of the civil war. Properly prepared (with my new knowledge of amputation and fatal blood transfusions) for our lab, I squirmed in my chair in an attempt to not break into a nervous sweat and to slow my heart's rapid beating. I also tried not to think about why I was wearing blue ( I'd had to reject the first four outfits I'd picked out that morning because they were all red---which is the color of blood. Plus, blue is supposed to be relaxing and helpful for rational thinking). Then, my teacher prefaced the demonstration of drawing blood with a short tale of two girls who were blood-typing partners several years ago. Apparently, one was unhappy with the other and stabbed her "friend's" finger with the lancet so hard that her blood "oil-spurted". EW. Thanks to those two, nowadays, only the teacher or the student can stab their finger.
On that cheery note, my teacher demonstrated the entire process. I only winced slightly, and barely felt the urge to cry. Until he fully embraced the spirit of Halloween and more or less attacked his finger as if his blood were delicious. Between the stress, nerves, horror, and dread, I burst immediately into tears. In class. At least I was sitting in the front row.
A few sniffles and comforting pats on the back later, I'd calmed down enough to have him prick my finger--only to literally have to squeeze a tiny drop of blood out the way that you squeeze out toothpaste when the tube is nearly empty.
Unfortunately, I was able to get so little blood out that my blood type is still unclear :(
Moral of this story: please do not try to dread things. Something is only as bad as you give it the potential to be, so why not give it potential to be as good as possible?

Lunch Date
Another friend embraced the chaos of the week with her signature "go for it!" style. After carefully planning a lunch date at the Pancake House with a group of friends who were on fall break, she attended the lunch, only to suffer from the Pancake House's chronic problem: a slowness in actually making the food... So, my friend was 50 minutes tardy for her first class after lunch (which translated to not being able to attend at all)--probably in exchange for what I imagine was a delicious stack of pancakes with friends. While missing class might in actuality not make school itself easier, we need to remember to take things as they come, and to try to enjoy them!

In short: we've all had crazy, stressful weeks. Did you have a mini breakdown? Did you forget to show up to school or work? Did you catch yourself trying to put orange juice in your cereal and milk in a cup (instead of the other way around)? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions--or if you posed a similar question in your mind to which you would answer in the affirmative-- I want you to remind yourself that the week is over. Remember that the next one, by definition, MUST be better if this one was so difficult! And, finally, remember this: it is now the weekend! And you are entitled to a decent dose of pampering, snuggling, sleeping, cuddling, etc.

And here's a baby penguin to help you relax!

This is THE NEW BLACK

Every year in the fashion world, some designer or other tries to replace black. We've all heard the "brown is the new black" and "white is the new black" statements from top brand names. Some of us have even heard Galinda from Wicked proclaim that "black is the new pink"!
This year, THE NEW BLACK has a new meaning--nail polish! THE NEW BLACK is a nail polish brand stocked in places like Nordstrom and other make-up/polish-selling stores. This brand is revitalizing plain, simple color on nails by marketing packs of five mini polishes of similar colors. The set that I am wearing right now, for example (shown in this post), is a collection of purples, ranging from a deep, slightly sparkly dark hue to a mauve shade to a gentle, lilac-tinted pale color.
These five colors ensure that you'll never have to repeat the same shade on one hand.
This company's marketing strategy is clear: give people a fun, easy-to-apply color combination that is original and sophisticated... and they will buy it. Let me give you a hint: they totally hit the mark!
While you can opt for my approach and paint your nails in a dark-to-light transition of the five polishes, you can also mix up the patterns or choose just one or a few of the polishes to make your own unique look.
In the nail polish world, THE NEW BLACK literally has great potential for becoming the new "black"--the new standard, always hot, always classy look--because the nature of these collections make them as versatile as anyone's little black dress. And, just to reinforce the adorable quality of the size of these polishes, THE NEW BLACK is fun sized (fun sized as in tiny and small enough to take an entire set on board an airplane).
Be sure to try out this new nail trend of different colored nails using THE NEW BLACK's product or even a mix of your own favorites--just make sure to have either complimentary or similar colors or different shades of the same color for each nail.
Happy painting!

Late Fall/ Early Winter Fruits and Veggies

Don't panic that summer is officially 100% gone. Fruits and vegetables are STILL in season, if you can believe it. Here's a list of some produce to help get you through the transition!

Fruits:
apples

Don't fret! They exist!

clementines
cranberries
grapefruit
mandarin oranges
oranges
pears!

Vegetables:
arugula
Belgian endive (similar to rocket/arugula--basically a green similar to lettuce but spicier)
beets
carrots
bok choy
broccoli!
brussels sprouts!
cabbage
cauliflower
celerac and celery
fennel
sweet potatoes
artichokes

A Seasonal Treat

Want one?

Then King Soopers has become your new best friend.

Beginning recently, King Soopers now has a caramel apple-making station in the store! You can choose whichever toppings you would like, and someone will dip your apple for you and you will have a wonderful, delicious treat to bring home. (Plus, you get to skip out on the mess involved when you actually make and decorate these yourself!). 

And for the record, our such apple is delicious. I do warn you, however, that these apples will take at least two days to eat--they're that delicious. 

Enjoy :)

Girl Power: Closet Take-Over

Some things are commonly only worn by men--like sweater vests, men's dress shoes, and athletic shorts when not actually playing athletics. Likewise, many things are usually only worn by women--like dresses, heels, and lipstick. A huge trend, however, has been changing many of the typicalities of men's and women's fashion. Several things, in fact, have made the switch from men's to women's. YSL started off this trend decades ago with women's pants, the women's pantsuit, and even the women's tuxedo. The next generation of cross-sex style is in full flair right now. This wave of new clothing and style ideas has come marching in over the past few years in the form of such things as boyfriend jeans, lip balm brands, and dress shirts for women.

Boyfriend jeans
I won't bore you with the details that you've probably read upward of 20 times over the years, but the general idea is that you don't have to wear skin-tight, fitted jeans to look feminine and put together.

Men's dress shirts--for women, not men

One of my favorite trends, beginning last year in the fall, is the trend for women to wear men's long-sleeved collared work shirts. This look is adorable when paired with the right accessories. For example, choose a blue-and-white-striped shirt from your boyfriend/husband/male friend/ favorite store and pair it with black leggings, a thick belt, boots, and a ponytail. This comfy style is flattering, cozy, and a fun way to mix up your typical fall/winter look. For more variation, play with the buttons; leave a few more open to show off a necklace, or leave them done up and toss on a scarf as well. Plus, you might even inspire your guy friends to actually match their clothes--if you can do it, why can't they, right?! Also, please note that the easy way to try this look is to opt for a plaid top. In my opinion, however, stripes are more unique and flattering.


Lip Balm

It's all about Jack Black. No, not the actor--the lip balm company! Jack Black was created for men. But the secret got out, and it's one of the best lip balms in the world. I promise. This clear, squeeze-the-tube sort of lip balm is minty, refreshing, fresh-smelling, and has varying SPF's of 15-25. Also, it's mini size makes it idea for storing in a purse, pack, suitcase, or even coat pocket. Plus, even though it was intended for men, anyone can use Jack Black--man, woman, or child. There's no color and it simply feels good!

Halloween Decorating

In honor of the quickly approaching holiday of Halloween, here are some fun decorating ideas to spice--or spook--up your house for the last of October. While traditional Halloween decorating revolves around witches, ghosts, and gore, there are plenty of ways to play up the lighthearted and festive side of Halloween and the fall season.

The first way to do this is, of course, through pumpkins! The basic rule is this: the more pumpkins, the better.  You can have orange, yellow, or white pumpkins, or anything in between. For a cute, unique approach to pumpkin distribution, we used mini white pumpkins to decorate our living area. Between the various large orange pumpkins grown from our garden and the adorable little white pumpkins, the festive holiday vibe is literally hidden somewhere on every surface in our family room. 
Another adorable tip is the use of candy. Of course, candy is always a major part of an American Halloween experience; after all, the majority of us have grown up believing the the "treat" part of "trick or treat" has, does, and will only ever mean "candy". For a more mature and longer-lived approach to using edible decorations to liven up your home, check out Godiva's pumpkin patch truffles to brighten up your kitchen or display tables. These adorable chocolates are wrapped in pumpkin-colored foils, complete with a bit of vine and a leaf attached to the top! In all honesty, I have never tasted these baby pumpkins because we continue to bring them out for fall and Halloween every year! Since they look decidedly less animated and decidedly more fall (not Halloween), these cuties can hang around until after Thanksgiving.
Finally, I must recommend the use of candles when decorating for late fall and Halloween. While you can always opt for pumpkin or ghost-shaped candles, IKEA has recently offered a lovely set of roughly 1.5-inch-tall candles that come in orange, red, and maroon. These are perfect for fall and Thanksgiving. Furthermore, these cube-like candles can make endless arrangements and combinations within their color and season set.

Adorable square candles!

These are just a few ideas to get you started on your decorating. For more inspiration, check out Martha Stewart or a home design company's website for Halloween-y decorating perks.

It's a Holiday on Thursday!

As I'm sure you know, there is at least one holiday on every day of the year. For example, although today is Columbus Day, it is also Children's Day (a day to love your children and pamper them with extra love and TLC). This post is just a little update on a very special holiday coming up on Thursday: Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day!

So don't forget to take your teddy out for some office action on Thursday! We know you have one :)

The Secret to Weight-Sustainable Cookies

Do you ever wish that the cookies you bake wouldn't make you gain any weight? While I'm sure that we all whip up some completely non-fat, sugarless, 0-calorie cookies every now and then (because we all know that homemade chocolate chip cookies are pure health food!), I promise that this trick for making weight-sustainable cookies will rock your snacking world forever.

So, what is this trick, you ask? It's a little something I just discovered, called the Kitchen Cookie Workout.

For every batch of ~36 chocolate chip cookies that you make, be sure to complete this series of exercises to ensure that your cookies are 100% weight-sustainable:

3 squats holding the electric mixer (2 reps)
One set of opening and closing a heavy oven (3 reps)
2 side-body/oblique stretches achieved by reaching for vanilla extract on a high shelf (2 reps)
Strength-building for each upper arm by reaching for heavy plates on a high shelf (3 reps)
Bicep-intense dough-scooping to create cookies (~36 reps)
2 lunges from the timer to the oven (hopefully only 3 reps as a maximum)

Also, be sure to keep your abs engaged for the entire baking session.

Now, when you nosh on those delicious cookies that you've baked, you don't have to feel an ounce of guilt (or see an ounce of new body weight) because you have make 100% weight-sustainable cookies. Be sure to spread the word to any health nuts you know who's quality of life would be drastically improved by this new, scientifically proven method of weight maintenance.

Also, as proof, I have tried this strategy myself--beginning an hour and a half ago--and have, so far, gained no weight. I will write a follow-up post if I discover this technique to be obselete, but judging by the statistics, it is fail-proof and guilt free!

So enjoy those cookies!  :)

M&M's!

In the movie Mean Girls, Lindsay Lohan thinks to herself "I used to think there was just fat and skinny. But apparently there's a lot of things that can be wrong on your body." Despite the significant nature of this quote, Lindsay--or should I say Cady--hits on a topic that is also true for M&M's: variety.
Cady used to think that girls could just be fat or skinny--opposites of a spectrum. Most people view M&M's the same way; we think M&M's, or peanut M&M's. As Cady would say, however, there's a lot of different kinds of M&M's out there waiting to be discovered and/or enjoyed.

That's NUTS!

Peanut M&M's are a classic. For people with peanut allergies, there are fewer things more painful than watching a group of friends devour a mega-pack of peanut M&M's without being able to partake in their nutty pleasures. Alas, my fellow peanut-evaders, we are saved from this predicament! 
Almond M&M's have a similar, though distinctly almong-shaped (pardon my ingenious pun) form to peanut M&M's, but are allergy-friendly and most likely have better nutritional information than their classic counterparts. Speaking with complete honestly, I ate nearly a bag of these this weekend and barely felt guilty; almonds have protein and healthy fats, and chocolate is good for you, right? :)
Plus, these treats can qualify as being slightly better than your go-to sugary candy.





Come to the DARK side... we have...M&M's!

There is no special name for normal M&M's; they are simply M&M's. However, I would like to make the claim that the normal version of these delicious candies can best be described as being colorful milk chocolates. That being said, there are also dark chocolate M&M's for those of us looking for a more intense flavor (or just cool purple packaging). While I personally am not 100% blown away by this variation, this option is great if you're looking to feel a bit healthier while getting your chocolate fix for the day, or if you simply wish to mix the flavors up! 



Itsa dessert-and-snack-in-one. Say What?

First off, the packaging for Pretzel M&M's wins the prize for more adorable. In case you missed the commercials advertising these tasty bites when they debuted a few years ago, a large M&M goes to get an x-ray and discovers his insides to be a pretzel. Thus, the preztel M&M was born (and apparently had medical insurance). Pretzel M&M's are even easier to justify as snack food than almond M&M's; after all, their perfect combo of salty and sweet covers all the necessary bases of delicious, nosh-worthy treats. Plus, as you shall discover with their almond counterparts, there is something about eating a round M&M that is bizarrely more exciting than always having the flat ones. If this statement confuses you, just try me and try them!

One-of-a-kind. Like YOU!

In case you feel the desire to go out there into the big wide world and create your very own M&M's, click here to explore the 25 colors and awesome options you have when customizing these candies to be how you like them. You can personalize the normal chocolate candies to have whatever photograph, cartoon, phrase, or little doodle on them that you would like. There are few things more amusing than fiddling with the color combinations and sentiments on the M&M's to find the perfect set for your party or party favors! Helpful hint: from personal experience, my mother and I discovered that dark pink, dark green, and white make a fabulous combo! Also, if you are celebrating a holiday, rite-of-passage, wedding, birthday, anniversary, etc.... I recommend ordering the M&M's in two or three different styles: one with a date and one with "Congrats!", "Mazel Tov", etc.

It seems Cady was on to something after all. Since when are there only two types of M&M's? Or people, for that matter. So...

Happy M&M-ing! And remember, there's no shame in a little chocolate now and then. You know what they say! Chocolate is the food of the heart.  :)