It seems like I have been coming across a lot of people feeling stressed lately whether it is from work, school, family, wedding planning, you name it. So, I thought it would be nice to do a post for an Anti Stress Kit. Honestly, this is so simple to do it probably shouldn't be classified as a "craft" since all you need are a few supplies and a thoughtful mood.
Supplies:
Paper bag
A hole punch and paper (to make confetti)
Pennies
Rubberbands
An Eraser
Snickers
Starburst
Hershey Kisses
Marbles (unfortunately I couldn't find any but if you can, add them)
Something to write with
List each item on the bag and what they can be used for to reduce stress:
Eraser: To make all your mistakes disappear.
Pennies: So you will never be broke.
Rubberbands: To help you stretch beyond your limits.
Starburst: To give you a burst of energy at the end of the day.
Marbles: To replace the ones people say you've lost.
Snickers: Laughter is the best medicine.
Confetti: When you feel like throwing something.
Kisses: To always remember that someone cares.
Just toss all of the items in the bag and give it to your sweetheart, friend, co-worker etc. It's a little corny and won't relieve any serious stress but I do think it will put a smile on the face of a person you care about.
The quickest way to make time pass for me at work is to listen to music. But music with lyrics can distract me sometimes, especially when I'm coding so I try to stick to instrumental music like classical or jazz. For the past week I have been listening to Explosions In The Sky while trying to be a code poet and Your Hand In Mine is one of my favorites:
I was recently watching yet not watching TV (you know, that kind of it's on for background noise but you're not really paying attention, kind of TV viewing) and all of a sudden I heard Nick Drake playing in a commercial. I stopped what I was doing and took in the moment. The first time I heard his music was years ago in a commercial for Volkswagen, they used his song Pink Moon and I instantly fell in love, figured out who he was and bought the album. Turns out that folk music is great for advertisements, who knew?
His song From The Morning was playing in the commercial that stopped me for a moment:
I got my income tax money back and if I weren't such a guilty shopper (I tend to talk myself out of purchasing anything that is not on sale or isn't deemed a necessity in my mind) I would snap up these things pronto:
I want the FujifilmInstax Mini so bad. Since I can't get my hands on any Polaroid film (The Impossible Project is amazing but man, that film is pricey) this would be the next best thing for instant photos, besides that, I think it would be fun to have.
I love this geeky necklace. Don't you wish that ctrl+z could work in real life sometimes?
I have this vision of a wall covered in photographs and art, it's basically a jumbled mess of ornate frames but somehow they all flow beautifully together. I'll have that someday and I would like this illustration to be among those random beautiful things.
And I would like a wicker basket for my bike since I have Farmer's Market trips planned out in my head and will need a basket to hold any food that doesn't get consumed by the time I make it back home and a weekend trip filled with sun/sand/water would be lovely too.
Translation: Happy 5th of May! My Spanish isn't very good, my Spanglish is better. I promise I'm half Mexican, but you wouldn't know it.
Today is Cino de Mayo and you'll probably want a yummy snack after you're done polishing off a few Mexican beers or Margaritas, right? This snack is really simple, even Gringos can handle it:
1. Take a flour tortilla and heat both sides on your stove. No pan needed just toss it on your gas burner and flip that baby with your hands, of course be careful not to burn yourself. No one wants to spend Cinco de Drinko in the hospital.
2. Take the tortilla off the burner and put a pad of butter on one side. Spread the butter around so it melts evenly.
3. Sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on the buttered side of the tortilla.
4. Roll up and enjoy!
This used to be one of my favorite snacks as a kid and was a cheap/quick dessert in college when I had no money to buy something to curb a sweet tooth attack.
Have you ever met someone and just had an awful first impression? They didn't look/act like someone you would want to spend your time with and to top it off the converstion was labored and went no where. But then upon running into each other again, something just clicks and it turns out this person is amazing and you wonder how the heck you had ever thought any different of them?
Well, that's how I feel about Passion Pit. It was tough for us to find common ground in the beginning, I thought we wanted different things but it turns out they were just what I needed. The more I listen to them the more I fall in love. I can't get their song Seaweed Song out of my head. "Nobody knows you the way you know you, but I think I do" keeps playing in repeat in my mind.
I've been lagging on blog posts this week and I read Liz's fill in the blank post and decided it would be a quick way to get another post without much planning or thought. I know, lame, but I've been busy. Or at least that's my story...
1. Favorite Hobby?
I love going to shows. Music makes me really happy. I don't care if I know who the band is or what style of music it is (well, sometimes I care).
2. Favorite TV show?
The Office is ridiculous, it makes me smile every Thursday and any girl who doesn't want a Jim of her own is either in denial or has no need to want because she already has hers... jerk.
3. Favorite restaurant food?
Chow Mein? Good. Affirmation wrapped in a yummy cookie? Good.
4. Favortie thing to shop for?
I had a tomboy phase for um... forever until about 3 years ago and now I'm obsessed with wearing dresses and rarely wear pants.
5. Favorite animal?
This was a hard decision because there are so many photos of cute puppies that I would love to make mine...
6. Favorite song?
In My Life by The Beatles is my favorite song of all time. Look up the lyrics and you'll see why.
7. Favorite word?
I almost never get to say it but pamplemousse is one of my most favorite words.
8. Recent favorite YouTube video?
Being Mexi-talian I happen to do an awesome chola impression, I even named my alter ego Rosa. She pretty much sounds just like this chick. "Don't be talkin' to me like you know me!"
9. Favorite movie?
I could watch Almost Famous a million times and never get sick of it.
10. Favorite childhood memory?
On family road trips my Grandma would sit in the backseat with my brother and I. Growing up in a rural area we would always pass by ranches and whenever we drove past a ranch with a white horse she would say "White horses are good luck, spit in your hand, make a fist with the other & rub in into your palm and make a wish." So, we would pretend to spit in our hand and smash it into the other and make a wish. Every time I see a white horse I think about this and make a wish.
Want to play along? Copy & paste the prompts below, answer each with a photo and a description.
