Happy Friday!! :)
(PS - these are not my dogs...but they were so damn cute, I couldn't help myself!)
Friday, 3 June 2011
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
A Few Ways To Be Happy
Hey Guys. So, I was nerding it up hardcore this evening and I joined stumbleupon.com, and I highly recommend it to each and every one of you. I came across a list of "50 Life Secrets and Tips" and wanted to share my favorite ones with you. Enjoy...
Constantly try to reduce your attachment to possessions.
Those who are heavy set with material desires will have a lot of trouble when their things are taken away from them or lost. Possessions do end up owning you, not the other way around. Become a person of minimal needs and you will be much more content.Develop an endless curiosity about this world.Become an explorer and view the world as your jungle. Stop and observe all of the little things as completely unique events. Try new things. Get out of your comfort zone and try to experience as many different environments and sensations as possible. This world has so much to offer, so why not take advantage of it?Get fit!It’s ridiculous to think that we have one body, one sole means of functioning, and people are too lazy to take care of themselves. Fit bodies lead to better health, confidence and more success with romantic endeavors. I’d say those are 3 very good reasons to get in shape.Drink water.Hydration is tremendously important for overall health. Soda has absolutely ZERO nutritional content; it’s like pouring a punch of sugar and syrup into your cup. Instead, fill it with life-replenishing water. It may taste plain at first if you’re coming off of a heavy soda-drinking streak, but you’ll soon find yourself addicted to it. 10 glasses per day is optimal, how many have you been getting lately?Get in the sun.Superman was completely re-energized when he flew out to space and soaked in some rays and you can do the same right outside your front door (if you live in a constantly dreary place, my apologies). The sun feels amazing: your entire body will be coursing with warmth and life.Be honest at all times.Lies lead to nothing but trouble. Being known as trustworthy is an excellent trait to maintain and essential to having integrity.Sleep lessFully adjusting to a new sleep cycle can take up to 21 days so don’t give up if you feel tired after switching to 5-hour nights. The “required” 8 hour/night is for normal people. If you’re reading THIS article on THIS site, you are not normal. So figure out how much sleep YOU really need and adjust accordingly. As enjoyable as sleep is, waking existence is much more fulfilling and efficient. IF this really sparks your interest, check out alternate sleep cycles with which you can be fine off of 2 hours of sleep per day.Travel.
Anyone who has ever gone anywhere will tell you that traveling is one of the most exciting and life-changing activities that you can do. Observing a different culture will expand your mind while making you further appreciate the life you already live. This goes back to becoming an explorer: this world is your jungle so go explore! Who knows, maybe you’ll find a place you love so much that you decide to move. Imagine the positive repercussions a new environment could have on your life.Learn to be unaffected by the words of others.Most people get very upset when they are called negative names by others, but there is a simple trick to overcoming this. Here it is: If I went up to you and called you a fire hydrant, would you be upset? Of course not. Obviously you are not a fire hydrant, you are a human being. The same concept applies to when someone calls you something that you know you are not. They are foolish for saying such things, so why would you react with such anger? The only exception is when someone calls you something that is true! In this case, you should thank them for alerting you to a weakness, one that you can now work on changing.Develop the ability to forgive.Forgiveness is something that most people fail miserably at even thought it’s so simple. Grudges only bring more misery to those who hold them and prevent good relations with the target. YOU makes mistakes all of the time so why not have mercy when other do? Remaining angry feels horrible while forgiving someone brings a refreshing sensation to the mind and healing to the relationship.Meditate everyday for at least 20 minutes.In this modern world where everyone is so connected to everything else via cell phones, TV and internet, most people rarely enjoy the beauty of silence. The ability to quiet your mind and relax your body is an art and skill that everyone should develop. Simply sit somewhere, preferably in nature, and focus on your breathing or try to think about nothing. This is going to be extremely hard at first! You might find it boring or just plain impossible to think of nothing, but you will get better and you will learn to love it. Post-meditation, you will feel extremely clear headed and.. well, just plain wonderful. The only way to really understand this sensation is to try it.Learn to control your mind.What kind of skilled human are you if you cannot even control your own thoughts? While the human mind is described as being a stream of consciousness, that does not mean you can’t decide where your stream flows. Techniques like meditation and the 3 ways to flush out negative thoughts will aid you immensely in learning to control your mind.Get good at something.Call it a hobby or a passion, whatever it is, just get damn good at it. Your occupation does not count! Make it something that you can practice often enough to excel at. Examples: Magic tricks, surfing, ping pong, creating short films, and unicycling. It can be anything but I would recommend choosing something that: 1) You are passionate about 2) You can bust out at any moment to display your skills for any discerning crowd. My mind goes immediately to aerobatics and break dancing, but that’s just me.Do what you love.
There is a huge difference between making a life and making a living; which one are you making right now? So many spend their entire lives trying to make as much money as possible so that they can afford to do what they really want later. It makes no sense to settle in life until you’re 65 so that you can retire and do what you want when you’re already WAY past your prime. We only live life once so why wouldn’t you want to spend it pursuing your bliss? To do anything else would be a tragic waste of the freedom you are allowed if you are reading this right now. Follow your bliss and you will be a thousand times more happy than your retirement date and 40+ years younger.Choose your friends wisely.You are affected far more than you think by the people you spend your time with. Do your friends share your values? Do they encourage you when you speak of your goals and dreams or do they scoff? Make sure the people around you are conducive to the lifestyle you want to lead or you will find yourself being dragged again and again into behavior that distances you from your desires. Friends with a habit of producing negative thoughts will especially hinder you. This can be a hard task to follow through with if you realize you good friend is one of these saboteurs, but you must be firm! Don’t let anyone get in the way of you being all that you can be.Keep a journal/diary.It sounds like a very monotonous habit at first, but when you get into it, that little book will become a great way to organize your thoughts and track your growth over the years. Most of us already stay awake in bed at night pondering the events of the day anyways so why not document those thoughts in an organized fashion? That will allow you to look back and observe how your way of thinking has changed over time.Love is all there is.If you truly want to be a master of life, let love be in your every action. Love your friends, family and enemies alike. This is the most difficult thing to do out of this entire list, which is why it is listed at #50. But if you accomplish this, you will be seen as a leader among everyone that allows hate, envy, disgust and all other negative emotions into their lives. Think Gandhi. Love is so rare in this world when compared to the massive presence of hate that by exuding love, you will immediately see yourself and the people around you change. Love. Love. Love.
Constantly try to reduce your attachment to possessions.
Those who are heavy set with material desires will have a lot of trouble when their things are taken away from them or lost. Possessions do end up owning you, not the other way around. Become a person of minimal needs and you will be much more content.Develop an endless curiosity about this world.Become an explorer and view the world as your jungle. Stop and observe all of the little things as completely unique events. Try new things. Get out of your comfort zone and try to experience as many different environments and sensations as possible. This world has so much to offer, so why not take advantage of it?Get fit!It’s ridiculous to think that we have one body, one sole means of functioning, and people are too lazy to take care of themselves. Fit bodies lead to better health, confidence and more success with romantic endeavors. I’d say those are 3 very good reasons to get in shape.Drink water.Hydration is tremendously important for overall health. Soda has absolutely ZERO nutritional content; it’s like pouring a punch of sugar and syrup into your cup. Instead, fill it with life-replenishing water. It may taste plain at first if you’re coming off of a heavy soda-drinking streak, but you’ll soon find yourself addicted to it. 10 glasses per day is optimal, how many have you been getting lately?Get in the sun.Superman was completely re-energized when he flew out to space and soaked in some rays and you can do the same right outside your front door (if you live in a constantly dreary place, my apologies). The sun feels amazing: your entire body will be coursing with warmth and life.Be honest at all times.Lies lead to nothing but trouble. Being known as trustworthy is an excellent trait to maintain and essential to having integrity.Sleep lessFully adjusting to a new sleep cycle can take up to 21 days so don’t give up if you feel tired after switching to 5-hour nights. The “required” 8 hour/night is for normal people. If you’re reading THIS article on THIS site, you are not normal. So figure out how much sleep YOU really need and adjust accordingly. As enjoyable as sleep is, waking existence is much more fulfilling and efficient. IF this really sparks your interest, check out alternate sleep cycles with which you can be fine off of 2 hours of sleep per day.Travel.
Monday, 30 May 2011
Sexy Hair on a Budget
Good Morning you beautiful people of the world!
Today I feel the need to express my complete passion and love for my absolute favorite lines of inexpensive drugstore hair products. As a girl, I know just how crucial it is to maintain beautiful, healthy hair. I once heard a statistic that said your attractiveness level at a first glance is judged 70% on the condition of your hair, and I believe it. 70% is a huge percentage! It's true, though, if you really think about it - if someone is walking around with dry, dull, damaged, frizzy, unclean, discoloured or just plain BAD hair, it will make a huge impact on the way that you may think that person looks.
Sure, we could all have gorgeous, voluminous, soft, sexy hair if we were willing to shell out thousands of dollars on expensive salon-formlua shampoos and conditioners, masques, treatments, personal stylists and high-end cuts and colours; but let's face it...most of you who will be reading this are most likely near-broke students, young workers attempting to save the little money that you're able to scrape together, or simply just not in the mood to spend more on your hair regime monthly than rent and food expenses combined. Fair enough. This page is here to save your life.
It's under $6.00 for a 350ml bottle, and can be found at most major drugstores, I first discovered it at Wal Mart. It smells great, contains 100% pure Argan Oil, it's light enough that it won't weigh down finer hair types but deep-conditioning enough to soften even the coarsest of hair. The Argan Oil promotes shine and repairs damaged hair. These products will leave your hair so unbelievably soft and shiny, you will wonder how you ever lived without them. If you're looking for a wicked all-around shampoo and conditioner at price that can't be beat, you NEED the Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil line.
Enjoy, and let me know what you think!
xo-ac
Today I feel the need to express my complete passion and love for my absolute favorite lines of inexpensive drugstore hair products. As a girl, I know just how crucial it is to maintain beautiful, healthy hair. I once heard a statistic that said your attractiveness level at a first glance is judged 70% on the condition of your hair, and I believe it. 70% is a huge percentage! It's true, though, if you really think about it - if someone is walking around with dry, dull, damaged, frizzy, unclean, discoloured or just plain BAD hair, it will make a huge impact on the way that you may think that person looks.
Sure, we could all have gorgeous, voluminous, soft, sexy hair if we were willing to shell out thousands of dollars on expensive salon-formlua shampoos and conditioners, masques, treatments, personal stylists and high-end cuts and colours; but let's face it...most of you who will be reading this are most likely near-broke students, young workers attempting to save the little money that you're able to scrape together, or simply just not in the mood to spend more on your hair regime monthly than rent and food expenses combined. Fair enough. This page is here to save your life.
The BEST (seriously) Shampoo & Conditioner for your Hair and your Wallet
Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner
Seriously. You have to believe me on this one...THIS STUFF IS PHENOMENAL. I worked for Aveda for over 3 years and became a complete slave to their products for both hair and skin. While I still absolutely adore Aveda products, especially for hair, without my staff discount, living life by the Aveda mission was beginning to get waaayyy too pricey. My favorite shampoo and conditioner by Aveda, Damage Control, retailed for over $100.00 for a 1L bottle...for BOTH the Shampoo & the Conditioner. When you have as much hair as I do, a 1L bottle will probably only last you 5 or 6 weeks...that's $150.00 a month to WASH your hair. Crazy! If I had the money, I would be spending it, but for the time being, Live Clean has been my saving grace.
It's under $6.00 for a 350ml bottle, and can be found at most major drugstores, I first discovered it at Wal Mart. It smells great, contains 100% pure Argan Oil, it's light enough that it won't weigh down finer hair types but deep-conditioning enough to soften even the coarsest of hair. The Argan Oil promotes shine and repairs damaged hair. These products will leave your hair so unbelievably soft and shiny, you will wonder how you ever lived without them. If you're looking for a wicked all-around shampoo and conditioner at price that can't be beat, you NEED the Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil line.
Enjoy, and let me know what you think!
xo-ac
Sunday, 29 May 2011
New Songs for your Summer 2011 Playlist
Hey Guys! With summer right around the corner I'm sure you're all doing the same thing as me; getting your summer 2011 playlists together. We all know the feeling...when you hear that one song, that reminds you of that one time, that one summer...
I've compiled a list of songs that you probably haven't heard, and that most likely won't make it to this summer's top 20 charts. These songs need to be heard. Let them warm your heart and heat up your summer days and nights...enjoy!
I've compiled a list of songs that you probably haven't heard, and that most likely won't make it to this summer's top 20 charts. These songs need to be heard. Let them warm your heart and heat up your summer days and nights...enjoy!
1. Laredo - Band of Horses ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH8QICzCO8g
2. Running - The Beautiful Girls ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtNzyYX-ADo
3. Bubbles - Biffy Clyro ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxUb9Yzr1sE
4. Easter Side - Brave New Waves ---> http://thebravenewwaves.com/
5. Hang me up to Dry - Cold War Kids ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrrGKR8Xii4
6. Young and Able - Current Swell ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5AtkOF8wTQ
7. Where I'm Going - Cut Copy ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm3Uqhb8JGU
8.Ooo-Ohh - Daniel Wesley ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL8-OF9aFSY
9. I Got No Time - The Dirty Heads ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FGiYcvtQCI
10. Whatchagwando - Goodbye Beatdown ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFewBqFxoTY
11. Summer Angel - Minus The Bear ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzXN8ytoSJo
12. Keep on Lovin' - Mishka ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9v6_WmG_Dw
13. Babylon - RX Bandits ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ArRxjFHMAU
14. Bad Boy - Thomas Kjorven ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16WYjXDenl4&feature=related
* * * * *
~*~All of the bolded artists are from BC, Canada! Please support their music!!~*~
Enjoy your summer, enjoy your music, enjoy your life <3
-xo-ac
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Welcome!
Hello world!
Are you laughing at me yet?
If not, let me give you something to chuckle at.
This is my 3rd attempt at "blogging". The first blog I created was intended to be a personal and professional blog in one; and that wasn't working very well for me. I was trying to update on my music and my shows on the site as well as post random rants and raves, and, after recieving some less-than-friendly feedback and some strongly-worded suggestions, I have decided to separate the two. If you're looking for updates on my music and shows, then the wordpress site is what you're looking for.
If you're looking for random posts about everything else under the sun, then you've come to the right place!
Honestly though, my main goal with this blog is to post about things that I like, do not like, or just damn well feel like talking about. Whether it's music, food, wine, fitness, beauty products, shiny things, pretty colours, youtube videos, estranged men claiming the fate of rapture (ahem, Harold Camping...)...if it's on my mind, and I have a fleeting free moment, I'm going to post it.
So sit back, relax, and prepare to be entertained, bored, enraged, confused, upset and/or hysterical. (HOPEFULLY not in that order.)
Thanks for reading, I'll keep you posted!
xo-ac
Are you laughing at me yet?
If not, let me give you something to chuckle at.
This is my 3rd attempt at "blogging". The first blog I created was intended to be a personal and professional blog in one; and that wasn't working very well for me. I was trying to update on my music and my shows on the site as well as post random rants and raves, and, after recieving some less-than-friendly feedback and some strongly-worded suggestions, I have decided to separate the two. If you're looking for updates on my music and shows, then the wordpress site is what you're looking for.
If you're looking for random posts about everything else under the sun, then you've come to the right place!
Honestly though, my main goal with this blog is to post about things that I like, do not like, or just damn well feel like talking about. Whether it's music, food, wine, fitness, beauty products, shiny things, pretty colours, youtube videos, estranged men claiming the fate of rapture (ahem, Harold Camping...)...if it's on my mind, and I have a fleeting free moment, I'm going to post it.
So sit back, relax, and prepare to be entertained, bored, enraged, confused, upset and/or hysterical. (HOPEFULLY not in that order.)
Thanks for reading, I'll keep you posted!
xo-ac
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