The Shortest Bus Ride

Picture from Wikimedia Commons

In the slew of cold, cloudy days, there was finally a day of warm weather and clear skies. My roommate and I decided to take advantage of the fabulous weather last Tuesday and decided to go on an adventure to Petco (just to see some cute animals, not to buy anything). I discovered there was a Trader Joe's not to far from the Petco, so we not only made it a Petco adventure, but also a grocery shopping adventure. My roommate and I most definitely went overboard on the groceries, both of us carrying two heavy paper bags filled with food items. It was difficult enough hauling our hoard of food out of the store, but it was even more so carrying our bags back to the bus stop! When we arrived at our stop, down the hill at the end of the road, we saw our bus was parked sitting next to a Sheetz. It had not started its route yet. So, we figured we could board early just so we can sit down and let our tired arms rest. However, when arriving at the bus, we found it was missing a driver... He was eating at the Sheetz. Disappointed and even more tired than before, we began to trod our way back up the hill to the bus stop.

Then, like a glorious mechanical angel, another bus stopped by and opened its doors. It's driver called our to us, "I can give you two a lift!" Being oblivious to what he was suggesting, I told him that we needed to go back to campus and our bus is down there. He laughed and told us he was watching us struggle with our bags and knew our bus wasn't going to start its route for another fifteen minutes, then he offered us to drop us off at the bus stop so we could wait there. We joyfully hoped on and relished our free bus ride up the hill. The stop probably wasn't even a block's distance away, but we really appreciated that bus driver for saving us some struggle and for being so gosh darn nice! We got home just fine that day, and to this day I still think that driver is one of the nicest men I've ever met.

It's little acts of kindness like this that I think makes life so good. Just like how one bad thing can ruin your day, something really small but good can make someone's day just that much better, and I think it's great. I honestly believe if more people did nice things for other, we wouldn't be nearly as depressed, angry, or anxious. Going out of our way to do something for others doesn't unnoticed. That person will appreciate it, and both parties feel good about it. Positive feelings don't only go a long way, but it travels, too. Making someone else feel good makes them want to make someone else feel good, and so on, and so on. Even if we don't do anything grand or spectacular, or gain mass fame and recognition, those little things we do for others makes us feel more fulfilled. It's the reason why I made this blog in the first place - to appreciate those little things and to let others know they can experience similar feelings too, wherever they are.

Love is for Everyone

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! As much as I'd like to join everyone in the celebration of love and affection, unfortunately I am committed to a long-distance relationship, so giving my boyfriend roses and chocolates isn't really a feasible thing for me. There is a lot of flak towards long-distance relationships that I find pretty unsettling. I know they don't work all the time and it's very hard and demanding on the persons involved, but a lot of dedication and trust goes into long-distance, which is why I think they deserve a bit more credit than they get.

Personal tangent aside, I want to talk about what Valentines day means to me personally. I think it's a bit silly we have a day dedicated to loving others... when that should just be a thing you do every day. Sure, it's a good excuse to do something special, but that's what birthdays and anniversaries are for! Plus, it's not like we get this holiday off, so having valentines day on a weekday sure does suck for the busy working couple (though I suppose it'd be the responsibility of the couple to plan things ahead of time, but not everyone plans things ahead). Plus, the chocolate and flower-making industry loves to cash in on this day and shove romantic tid-bits down your throat for double or triple the normal price (or for "sale"). I think, if you really wanted to do something special for someone you care about, skip the flowers and cheap chocolate and go for something that means a lot to that person (but if your boo really likes flowers and chocolate then by all means give them flowers and chocolate - just make sure it's quality chocolate).

Chocolates and Roses

Though lovers tend to get the spotlight on Valentine's Day, I want to emphasize that this is a day for everyone to get love. For all you single people out there, tell a family member or friend you care about them. That'll make their day, I'm sure of it. If you got a pet, treat them today! If you have a room mate, throw 'em some love! Valentine's Day should not be limited to lovers and couples. It should be a day to express love and affection for anyone and anything, even yourself. There's been a rising trend of "table for one" or "me dates", for the single people going out by themselves. It's awkward sitting and eating alone when everyone else has friends or a significant other with them. However, I think the more we encourage loners it's ok to do things by yourself - without the social pressure of being around people all the time - we'll become more comfortable with being alone with our thoughts, and appreciating ourselves. 

Even though I won't get to spend this Valentine's Day with my boyfriend, I'll still have the memories I have being with him, how it felt to hold hands with him, to hug and snuggle and laugh with him. I want everyone to remember what it feels like to be love. I want you to treasure it. Whether it's getting your first kiss from your boyfriend or girlfriend, getting that big warm hug from your mom or dad, or playing with your dog or cat after a long day. Everyone has love, and that is a beautiful thing. 

Care for a Spot of Tea?

                                                           Photo from Max Pixel

While my boyfriend is down south enjoying 70 degree weather, I'm bundled up here with all this snow, ice, and slush, enjoying a nice mug of hot tea. I think in a coffee-stained world, there should be a little bit more appreciation for tea. I find it pretty funny how flexible tea is - how you can just make it from anything that grows. "Mm-mmh~! I love me some Wheatgrass Tea, yum yum!" ...wheatgrass. Not a fan? How about some chocolate tea? Fermented tea?? Yeah that's right. You like drinking Kombucha? It's fermented. Good stuff for your gut! People have made teas from basically everything, and surprisingly, we've found a lot of health benefits from doing so.

(Dead bacteria create a layer over-top the Kombucha from fermentation)

I usually make myself some unsweetened day-time tea (usually a fruity tea like peach), and a cup of night-time tea when I get back to my dorm (either milky chai or something floral or minty). The flavor of tea I brew also sometimes depends on what mood I'm in, or whatever mood I'd like to be in. If I'm in a quiet and working mood, I'll make myself a cup of chamomile. If I've been waddling around all day going from class to class, I'll make myself something exotic like pomegranate or blueberry with a spoonful of honey (I love me some honey). And, as mentioned previously, if there are some health benefits I need, I'll make myself the appropriate tea for it. Here are a few of my favorites:

Lavender - rather expensive, but great for relaxation. It calms the nerves and muscles and is often used for sleeping. I like to make a batch lavender tea during the summer and make it into refreshing lavender lemonade. When brewed, it gets a cool purply color, and it smells amazing. (some other calming/relaxing teas: Chamomile, Green, and Mint)

Raspberry - this one should be a woman's favorite. Famous for relieving menstrual cramps, and popular among pregnant mothers for all the vitamins and minerals this tea has. It's overall a good "blood" tea. If you have problems with your blood, this one's the way to go (this goes for you too, men)!

Lemongrass - No, lemon tea is not the same as lemonade. Yes they both taste delicious. Lemon tea is a great way to get your Vitamin C, as well as being a great all-round beverage for your day-to-day activities. 

Chai - This one's a spicy tea! It's a black tea base mixed with all sorts of spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger, star anise, and more! It's a pretty exciting tea, and it's often mixed with milk to make chai lattes. As it is a tea made from black tea, it also contains caffeine. It actually has about the same amount that coffee does!

So if you're out and about wanting to go on a beverage adventure, grab yourself some tea! Upgrade that water! Leaf up your day! Drink something exciting! And please drink responsibly.

Photo by Ian Lloyd

Attack of the Moody Zombies!

ALERT! ALERT! A disease has been spreading and it's causing the dead to walk! An increasing population of students are showing symptoms of blood-shot eyes, glassy stares, sluggish movements, and inability to understand basic human language! They seem to communicate strictly through grunts and groans, though on rare occasion I do believe they may mumble. Caution: Approaching these subjects may cause then to enter stances of intense moodiness - though it seems to be more of the passive-aggressive nature rather than the violent kind. What could this be? How can we fix this???

I'm sure sleep deprivation isn't a mystery to anyone, it's been plaguing the workforce and student body since ... well, since sleep. There's a common phrase I often hear, and it goes something like this: "Sleep is for the weak!" Well, you sure don't look very strong with those baggy eyes of yours, friend. I have a vague understanding of where this comes from, and it's mostly from the procrastinatey sorts of people - the ones who stay up late doing work (or rather, NOT doing work), or they're the ones who believe sleeping is a "waste of time" and think they would be able to be much more productive not sleeping.

Well, no matter what your opinion is on the matter, sleep is sleep. And sleep is important. My problem with this is, why don't people ever take naps? I know that some people do take naps, but the majority of the time I never hear about them. I'd always overhear someone saying they'd love to go to take a nap, but do they actually take a nap when they go home? In America, it's fairly common for students and workers to revolve around a 8-10 hour sleep cycle and power through the rest of the day, no naps included. However, in Eastern Cultures, napping in the middle of the day is a normal day-to-day thing. I remember when I lived in china, every school day we would have an afternoon break where we can eat lunch, go home, and take a nap. Afterwards, we'd return to school to finish our classes. Nap time wasn't just a kindergarten thing, it was an everyone thing - workers, students, old people, young people, everyone napped!

Napping is also fairly common in parts of Europe and South America. You know what a siesta is? It's a nap! A nap taken specifically taken during very hot hours of the day. I went to Italy one summer, and found that not only does everyone go home to nap, but they close their establishments during these hours too, unless they were commercial businesses or convenience/grocery stores. Many restaurants close between 1-3pm to rest and prepare for the dinner shift, as well as eat their own lunch and take a short siesta. It's actually very logical of them to close during this time because normally people don't eat in that time frame anyway, so it's more profitable for them to just close for a couple hours than to stay open and have staff meandering about doing nothing (go into a restaurant at 2pm on a weekday and see how many people are eating). 

With this napping culture so common in many countries of the world, why is it we don't nap here in the US? I dunno, something about capitalism maybe...ok, ok, let me elaborate. The work day here allows for more hours working and earning money. You don't get paid sleeping on the job - or outside of it. So naps are a no go. Since kindergartens and daycares are the only places where someone can nap outside of their home, it makes napping seem childish. "I'm not a kid anymore, I don't need to nap... I'm an adult, I should be able to drone away at the same thing for a third of the day."

Of course, the way around this is just "sleep more at night" so you don't need to nap. But, sometimes you just don't get a good night's rest, and a little snooze can actually be pretty beneficial. Whatever your opinion on napping and nap culture, just follow your basic needs. If you're thirsty, get a drink. If you're hungry, get some food. If you're tired...

Take a nap.

Crispy Air

Hoooo boy, it's cold. It feels like a proper winter up in the mountains! And the SNOW! It's amazing! I know Mr. Bomb has had his hand in this particularly cold winter, but I don't actually mind that much. I grew up hopping around the country, and each one seemed to experience Winter differently, as strange as that sounds. Up in Michigan, getting over a foot of snow was common, while New Jersey you'd be lucky to get more than a couple inches. Pennsylvania seems to be a comfortable middle ground in terms of snow amount, although global warming seems to be taking its toll, as snow is becoming less and less common each winter.

I think it's really sad the seasons are being skewed as they are, because that means winter is becoming shorter and is being pushed back more into the year, and all the good things about it get pushed back too - snowfall, snow days, snow...air? Yeah...the air is the best part. For some reason, the air in winter is really...crisp and clean. It's great to breathe. Unfortunately, a lot of people think cold air is dry and awful, but I like it!

As weird as it seems, the atmosphere after a fresh snow has its own smell. Just like how the air after a storm as its own smell, and how a hot summer day has its own smell. Well, I suppose in winter's case it would be a lack of smell, since everything gets covered in snow and there's nothing to create any scents - no grass, no dirt, no leaves, just air and snow.

There probably isn't any fancy health benefits or reward in giving the air a good sniff, but I think it's a good thing to do every once in a while. I think smell is probably one of the least utilized sense we humans use, as we tend to take things for granted in terms of what things smell...unless it's food. So, next time you go outside, or even if you're just sitting around, having nothing to do, inhale and take a DEEP breath, and smell your surroundings. Maybe find out which class smells better, I don't know! Take a whiff of the room you're sitting in now! Go, do it!

The Thanksgiving Takeover

Alright boys, here's the game plan: Sleep for 12 hours a day, start on the turkey, move on to stuffing and mashed potatoes last, always save room for that pie. When the next morning hits, down those leftovers like no tomorrow - don't forget to finish that pie.

Photo originally from here

Thanksgiving has become a holiday focused on food and Black Friday sales. It gets little enough recognition due to Halloween and Christmas overtaking it in the market as they're both much more profitable holidays than Thanksgiving. The best way to advertise Thanksgiving seems to be slapping a turkey on the window and calling it a day. People seem to forget the reason why we have this holiday - to give thanks, thanks-giving.

The food and the time off is great, but Thanksgiving is time to appreciate and be thankful everything we have and the people around us. Food has always been the best way to share time together with family and friends. It doesn't matter if you have turkey, pie, or what have you, as long as you're with people you love and care about.

I know a lot of people on campus have been homesick and dying to go back to their families, myself included. So I decided to post about this to remind everyone to be thankful and happy for what they have, and remember that they've come this far in life with help and support. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving/Fall break!

Now... where's that turkey...

Life is a Blur, Learn to Freeze time

Everyone's pretty aware of the incredible marketing strategies stores seem to make around holiday season - discounting candy a month before Halloween, selling Christmas things before Thanksgiving. Everything is sold way too early and once one holiday is over with, the new merchandise is ushered out as if on cue. As it is now November, Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming around the corner, and I've realized our need to rush things doesn't just apply to holidays and vacations, but the seasons in general. We can never seem to wait for the next one to come around, yet when it does we don't appreciate it and look forward to the one after that.

The thought came to mind while I was walking to go out for dinner with my roommate one night. I noticed how clear the sky was, how bright the moon was, how crisp the air was. It was a perfect Autumn evening. While the other students were rushing back to their dorms with hands shoved in pockets and arms pulled in close, I was embracing the cold, fingers outstretched and feeling the cold air, breathing it in. People suffered while I was having a great time, and I wondered why.

I always hear people complain about the current season and wished the next one would come. "I can't wait for winter to come, it's too cloudy and rainy right now... I can't wait for spring, it's way too cold...I can't wait for summer, I need a vacation... I can't wait for fall, summer's too hot..." When the season starts, it's all well and good, but half a month in, people want change. We're always changing, going fast and rushing through life, skipping weekdays for weekends, work for vacations, something for something else, then back again. We flip-flop so much and we're never satisfied. I suppose it's just the way our culture nowadays is. Life feels shorter as we get older and we want to have mundane things over with. We get bored easily and we need something new to spice up our lives. 

If only people slowed down and made smaller moments worth while, maybe we'd be more satisfied with life. A lot of our experiences come from our senses - we should learn to use them more. Each season has a smell, a feeling, a taste. Every day is different. Being able to take in everything in your surroundings gives a refreshing sensation of living in the moment, existing in the now. Next time you go outside, try standing still and absorbing everything around you. No day is the same and you can only live them once, so might as well make it a good experience.