Things I love about running

1. Being outdoors (treadmills are not my thing)

2. It makes me incredibly grateful for my legs and feet, and I am constantly amazed by how far these two body parts can take me

3. Sweating out toxins

4. Taking off my shoes when I get back

5. How quiet all my thoughts are when I stretch after a run

6. Running makes me feel more beautiful than makeup or clothes ever possibly could

7. Anyone can run, and its not something you can be good or bad at. Its something you just do

8. Running through cramps and running up hills makes me feel like I can pretty much do anything.

Uhm, I could go on and on, but I'll leave it at this. Perhaps I'll continue this post another day.

The Life I Want to Live

A lot of the time, I feel like there are things I want to change about myself. I mean, overall, I am happy with myself as a person, but I know there are a lot of things I could improve upon. On March 10, 2012, I made a list called The Life I Want To Live. Every time I look back on this list, I get so inspired. This list completely encompasses the person I would like to be. Here it is:

1. I want to be really fucking happy all on my own, and when I am unhappy, I want to recognize that it is okay and normal to feel that way.
2. I want to take good care of my body. I want to put really good things into my body, and I want to sweat out all of the toxins in my body and I want to make my body lean and strong.
3. I want to be more mindful. There are so many ways I want to so this. I want to be more mindful of my thoughts, my actions, my words, my time etc.
4. I want to wake up early. I love mornings.
5. I want to meditate, every morning.

6. I want to take more risks.
7. I want to be more honest and straight forward.
8. I want to have a fresh fashion sense and I want to always be well dressed.
9. I want to give back more.
10. I really want to find pleasure in the simplest of things and never take a single moment or person or possession for granted.
11. I want to dedicated my time to getting really fucking good at something.
12. I want to be more passionate about things and be really well informed and have strong opinions.
13. I want to be more organized and on top of my shit.

I am curently working on getting up earlier (although today I slept through my 8am alarm clock and woke up at 9:30), and I am planning on adding meditation to that morning routine. Also, I have definitely become a lot more organized. There are still a few parts of my life that need organizing, like the pictures on my computer and a few stray papers for classes. However for the most part, my life is way more organized than it used to be. I supposed I will just have to work on these things one at a time. These changes aren't going to happen over night.

Also, I know that picture is randomly put in there, but I feel like this picture sums up the person I want to be. Thats my beautiful friend Max, relaxing after a long hike (I was there too; I took the picture), enjoying the simple things, taking risks, looking lovely ...

Don't take me tounge tied

• Sometimes my smile comes out a little bit crooked. But I think its really cute. Gotta love little flaws like that. They're what makes us human.
• I was planning on waking up at 8am today, so that I could get an early start to my day - I didn't get up till 11:30.
• I am starting to really like wearing bandana head bands. I just did this because my hair was being a bitch today, but it is too short to completely put up. 
• I have a lot of homework to do today, and its kinda making me a little bit stressed.
• (It feels like) All of my friends at school have boys in their lives. This makes me feel like I want a boy, but I am actually incredibly happy being a single lady.
• This blog post was inspired by Maggie at Lifesize Paperdoll . I love her blog. 
• I can't wait to go home this coming weekend and see my little broski!
• I am obsessed with checking my e-mail.
• On November 7th, it will be ONE YEAR since I deleted my facebook!
• 94% of the time I am awful with words. I stumble and trip over them, and I end up finishing my sentences with "you know what I am trying to say". Its totally fine when it happens with my friends and people that know me well, but not so fine when it happens with strangers or people that I am just getting to know.

I hope you're having a wonderful Sunday. Any randomness you'd like to share with me? 

Trying to get with the times

A lot of the time, I just feel so freaking out of the loop! My friends are constantly talking about books/tv shows/movies/bands/actors/current events that I am just not up to date with! I am just not with it when it comes to pop culture. But thats the thing - it'd be cool if I knew a lot about what was popular back in the day or something. But a lot of the time, I just feel like I don't know anything about anything. And so in an effort to become more "with it", I thought maybe it would be cool to start doing reviews on my blog. Reviews of anything pretty much - products, food, things in the media etc. But since I don't even know what sorts of things are popular these days (I live under a rock), I was thinking that people who read my blog can leave comments, suggesting things I should expose myself to. Then I will review them, and it will be awesome!

Another way that this will seriously benefit me is because I am awful at forming opinions. I am the kind of person who can see both sides of pretty much everything, and its so hard for me to come to a final verdict. But doing reviews will force me to pick a side, and hopefully with time I will become better at feeling confident in my opinions.

I am thinking that the first review I will do will be of the HBO show Girls. But please, please leave suggestions! If you don't feel like wasting your time watching a crappy movie, suggest it to me, and I'll letcha know if its worth your time or not!

Blogging Besties Swap

A month or so ago, I signed up for a swap through the blog Why Girls are Weird, where bloggers get matched up by interests and send each other goodies. My match was Lauren of the blog Shooting Stars Mag. Her blog is seriously awesome - she does lots of reviews of movies and books, along with gift guides and lots of other awesome posts. Heres what this lovely lady sent me!

1. How Should A Person Be by Sheila Heti

2. Soft Lips chapstick

3. Headbands for running

4. Toe separators 

5. Notepad

5. Mouse bad (with a special section for lists!)

6. The Fray album

7. Vinyl picture frame

 I have already gotten so much good use out of everything. Lauren knew about my love of list making, and I have used the pad that she got me so many times. The vinyl frame is on my desk (and looks lovely) the chapstick has been perfect for my dry lips, and I have already started the book she sent me (which was so incredibly thoughtful). Thank you Lauren! 

Hair-speration.

I was browsing the interweb as I usually do, when I saw this beautiful woman and her beautiful hair on this photographers website.

Ugh. And then I got inspired. I love her short bangs. They are so freaking cute. So maybe I want to get short bangs after my hair grows out? Cutting all of my hair off was such an awesome experience and when I was happy with the way it looked, it was even awesomer. So I feel more confident taking risks with my hair. We'll see. But for now I just wanted to save these photos here as a little snipet of inspiration. Ugh, and can we talk about how beautiful her and her husband are?

Such inspiring photography. Couple shoots are my favorite to look at!

DIY galaxy backpack

One day I was browsing online at Urban Outfitters website, and I saw the backpack on the left. I thought to myself, oh my goodness, that backpack is so cute! I want it! Except as with most feelings I get, I did not act on it. I did not purchase the backpack because I figured it would be there forever. Last night I went online, finally ready to buy the bag, and it was GONE! I looked online everywhere for it. But I could not find it. I was so disappointed! Thats when I came across this wonderful DIY. I didn't follow her dirrections exactly, but seeing this gave me the confidence to create my own bag. And I am pretty freaking happy with the result. Anyways, on to the DIY!

So first, gather your materials. I used the acrylic paints that I had (red, yellow, blue, orange, white and silver), a brush and a backpack of course!

 Next, just start spreading the color all over the bag. I tried to keep my brush dry (as in I didn't put too much paint on it) so that the colors were a bit muted. I also mixed white into the colors as I worked, so that the colors looked a bit washed out. I did all of this with my paintbrush (in the tutorial, the girl uses a sponge, but I didn't have one)

 I then flipped the back over and painted the straps, the same way.

 After I was happy with the way all of that looked, I took a bigger brush with stiffer bristles, and put silver paint on the tip. I pulled the bristles back and let them go, to flick the paint onto the bag (to look like stars)

 Annnnd, here is the finished product!

I think its looks pretty cool. I am scared one of my friends is going to be like "Whats your bag supposed to be?!", but oh wells. I know, and I am happy with it, so I guess thats what counts.

Anyone else got any cool back-to-school DIYs?