Wednesday, January 8, 2014

you are beautiful: my guest post for "strong figure"

Happy Wednesday!

A few weeks ago, I was very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to write a guest post for the AMAZING fitness and nutrition blog, Strong Figure.  The very talented and inspiring Stephanie Wimer reached out to me a few weeks ago asking me if I would be willing to write an article about The Beauty in You Campaign, a wonderful project founded and run by my friend and classmate, Jade Enders.

The subsequent article went live today, so be sure to follow this link over to Strong Figure and check it out! And please take a moment to like both The Beauty in You Campaign and Strong Figure on Facebook!

Saturday, January 4, 2014

we're jammin'

A twentieth century British conductor named Sir Thomas Beecham once stated,

"The function of music is to release us from the tyranny of conscious thought."

This sentiment really hits me.  When I listen to music, I am taken on a journey that can be likened to the other-worldly adventure that one has while reading a book.  I dance in the notes, I take in every lyric as a piece of poetry, and I am amazed at its eclecticness and universality.  I adore everything about music.

Because I love music so much (I mean, I do study it), I tend to listen to it pretty often.  I have spent hours combing YouTube or Spotify listening to the most obscure and unique musical cast album that I can find and digging up vintage tracks made by my favorite artists (no shame).  I have worn out many a set of earbuds listening to the myriad of playlists that eat up my poor Droid Razr M's memory and slow it down.  I have lost sets of earbuds, broken sets of earbuds earbuds, and demolished sets of earbuds all in the name of listening to my music.

I was so sick of my toxic relationship with earbuds, that I asked for a pair of old school headphones for Christmas.  I didn't get them.  So the next day, I went on Amazon to scout out their headphone selection.  I found the following pair near the top of my search:
They were simple, sleek, and to the point.  I wasn't a fan of the bright red color, but the $8 price tag (and Prime shipping option)  won me over (remember, I'm a poor college student).  Ever since they arrived, they've exceeded my expectations in every way except aesthetically.  Naturally, this called for a DIY facelift.

This project was absolutely simple.  To redesign the cheesy red plastic, I grabbed a tube of white Tulip Brand 3D paint and went to work, freehandedly painting whatever the spirit moved me to paint (mostly just simple symbols like dots and squiggles that I knew I could paint well/easily fix whatever mistakes I made (aka musical symbols)).  Here is the finished product:

Other options for making headphones over include wallpapering them with stickers (and then sealing with a neat coat of Modge Podge), stenciling words or designs on with paint or Sharpie, covering them completely with Washi tape... the possibilities are endless.  I'm pretty darn happy with my improved headphones though and I'm excited to start jammin' with this unique (and hopefully less destructible) pair!
I'm lovin' it.
Questions? Comments?  Concerns?? Just want so say "Hello"?? Post it in the box below!

I hope that your 2014 has been going swimmingly thus far!

Until next time. <3

Love, Leaza

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

a new day: bright enough to help me find my way


In my head, I always make New Year's Resolutions.  I make so many, that since I don't write them down, I
usually forget the majority of them rather quickly.  This year, I decided not just to write my resolutions down, I am going to write them down on this blog; I'll be much more likely to hold myself accountable this way.

To start, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on 2013:
This was a good year for me.  I spent a lot of time being happy, doing things I love with people I love.  I found a new sense of freedom and learned a lot about the importance and craft of self-reliance.  I became more disciplined, more focused, and more driven.  I learned to not settle for less than I deserved.  I met so many wonderful new people who opened my mind and expanded my horizons infinitely.  I grew much braver

So what's next?  In no particular order, here are my 21 resolutions for my 21st year of life:
  1. Continue to stay focused on my goals; don't let petty things in life interfere with what I hold dear.
  2. At the same time, don't have my blinders on too tight.  There is a world out there, full of love and adventures, family and friends.  Don't forget to enjoy it.
  3. Make more, spend less, save more.
  4. Don't obsess over minor details.
  5. Wear my hair curly more often.   Maybe actually commit to growing it long for once.
  6. Sleep more at night.  Sleep less in class.
  7. Eat as few processed foods as possible (but don't beat myself up when this isn't possible; I am a college student after all!)...make a conscious effort to ensure that my vegetarian diet does not leave me nutrient deficient.
  8. Take advantage of every opportunity to spend more time outside. (Vitamin D!!)
  9. Stay healthy.  Being sick is the worst.
  10. Stop dreaming as much, start doing more.  This is the time I have to tackle all the small things that post-grad life will limit me from in future life.
  11. Geek out more.  Spend some more time reading about the adventures of my friendly neighborhood Spider-man.
  12. Write more.  Read more.  These are a few of my favorite things that I never seem to have the time to do.
  13. Going along with #11, keep a journal.  I used to carry one to write down any ideas or song lyrics or thoughts that entered my head.  It was a useful habit that I need to pick up again.
  14. Color. Coloring is one of my favorite ways to relieve stress and I don't do it often enough.  Maybe I can even start a Coloring Club at CUA...?
  15. Play my instruments.  I definitely am not the most talented guitarist or ukulele enthusiast, but I love to learn to play better and I really enjoy practicing.
  16. Hold myself accountable to the million lists and schedules that I make for myself.
  17. Make time to dedicate to others, but don't sacrifice time that I need for myself in the process.
  18. Workout.  Stretch.  A lot.  Often.  (My ballet teacher will appreciate that).
  19. Give back to the community in a variety of ways.  I am more blessed and lucky than even I could possibly realize.  I want to do more for others and have so many ideas and projects that I can't wait to execute.
  20. Be spontaneous.  I am someone who innately likes plans and gets anxious when those plans are changed or altered.  I want to let go of that anxiety and live more on the edge in all aspects of life.
  21. Always keep this quote in mind: "Sometimes, all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage.  Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery.  And, I promise you, something great will come of it."  Live by that mantra.
What resolutions do you have for 2014?  Are you glad that 2013 has come to a close? Are you excited for any major milestones coming your way within the next year?  Let me know in the comments!

Andddd I'll leave you with one of my favorite things that comes with the end of each year... a new DJ Earworm United State of Pop Mashup!! The 2013 version is called "Living the Fantasy".  Enjoy!

Love, Leaza