I finally got my hands on my Rose VoxBox from Influenster and I’m thrilled! It’s been a few months since I received a box from them (all of which are FREE) and I’m excited to dig in. I love the stuff that Influenster gives out and I find it amusing that my entire supply of Dr. Scholl’s has been from them (as of this box I have 3 different insoles). Influenster offers free boxes like these to people who are active on social media, maybe have a blog or vlog, and enjoy sharing great products. You earn a score based on your interaction with their site and what you post online. There are a variety of tasks you can do to boost your score, like write reviews, take surveys, and share on social media. If you’re interested, let me know and I’ll send an invite. It’s a great way to discover cool products just by leveraging your social influence online.
365great Day 246: Influenster
365great Day 245: photography
My photo-taking has mostly been about documenting things going on in life, but I really admire those who get really cool shots. There’s so much you can fiddle around with when it comes to taking a picture – brightness, focus, coloring… and then of course is your subject matter, ranging from people to landscapes. It’s so cool how creative you can get with this stuff and I wish I had a better eye for the more artistic shots. I love perusing event photography because you’ll usually find a nice variety of content. There’s the shots that focus on a random detail, like someone’s shoes. There’s the shots that capture a funky angle or perspective. There’s the sweeping view shots and the macro shots and (my favorite) the ones capturing a moment. Each tells their own story and together they share the beauty of time spent together enjoying the company of others. Sometimes the content is compelling, sometimes it’s silly, but always there is a story to be shared. Photography is a great way to capture memories that can be shared and relived indefinitely.
365great Day 244: Goodies Co boxes
I recently found out that Goodies Co has decided to stop sending their snack boxes. It’s sad because I don’t know of another similar one that I’d be interested in. I mean, their price point of $7 is hard to beat. Granted, the snacks I got probably weren’t worth all that much, but the convenience of having them curated and delivered was still worth it to me. I love discovering new products and brands, so this was an easy way to try them out without doing crazy research/hunting on my part. I definitely found a couple of snacks that I have enjoyed again since receiving them in my Goodies box. It was pretty great while it lasted.
365great Day 243: baby animals
The young of almost any creatures are super adorable. They’re softer and wobblier and awkward and cute bundles of fun. Who doesn’t like kittens, puppies, ducklings, and the like? The way they waddle and squeak and don’t quite know how to do things is hilarious and endearing at the same time. If only they could just stay like that! My mom has always wanted a baby tiger for a pet, but of course you can’t keep them for long before they outgrow you. Meanwhile, I prefer smaller animals that can fit in your hands when they’re young, like these ducklings. Back in China in my childhood, my cousin and I would get baby chicks and ducklings from street vendors, then try to raise them at home. They were the sweetest little things! Unfortunately we were not very good at keeping them alive since we didn’t have a heat lamp and had no clue what we were doing. So I guess it’s best to leave it to their moms to raise them til they’re not cute anymore. Still, I love it when I can play with baby animals. They feel so great!
365great Day 242: public transit
From our hotel in Secaucas, Panda and I were able to walk a few minutes to a bus stop and take a coach bus into NYC for $6.40 each roundtrip. It took us to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, which connected to the subway system. From there, we were a $2.75 ride away from any subway stop we desired. While I love cars and the freedom to drive wherever, that sort of convenience is hard to beat. In a city, it’s really your best option, especially if parking costs you up the wazoo. I enjoyed being able to kick back during the ride and then not having to slave over attempts to find parking when we arrived. I’m so grateful for the easy and simple to use public transit that’s available in that area! Made our lives a whole lot easier and that’s undoubtedly great.
365great Day 240: deviled eggs
Oh nom! Ever since first finding out about deviled eggs in middle school, they’ve been something I look out for everywhere I go. There was a deli across the street from the school, which my friends and I would sometimes frequent for lunch. It was there that one day I noticed the deviled eggs in the counter. I’m a big fan of eggs, so I decided to try it. I absolutely loved it! It’s funny since I’m not usually into egg yolks, but in this instance, there’s something I can’t resist. I guess once you mash it up with other ingredients, you start getting some fun new concoction. I’ve always meant to play around with that myself but so far none of my tries have tasted quite the way I hoped. All I wanted was an egg that tastes just like the one from that deli. Over the years I unsuccessfully tried all sorts of other places but when I got to have that deli again, I learned that there’s just something different about theirs that I enjoy. If I could just figure out how to replicate it, that’d be great!
365great Day 239: wireless
Wireless might be the single greatest thing contributing to our mobility in this day and age. I rely on so many wireless devices to make my day go smoother – laptops, smartphone, wireless mice, and wireless routers to name a few. It’s what allowed me to leave work around 7 tonight and keep working through the night until now (3 am). I fiiinally finished what I wanted to at work today, which I’m thrilled about, and I’m even more pleased with the fact that I could do that from the comfort of home. After all, I don’t want to be pounding away at the office until this time. I’m so glad my work is the type that can go wherever my laptop is. I never had to work in a time when that wasn’t the case and I’m very grateful for that. The flexibility that wireless offers is pretty great.
Now GOOD NIGHT!! 🙂
365great Day 238: dragonflies
Dragonflies are my favorite insect. I’m not sure why exactly, but I love to see one flitting about. One of the things I like about them is the variety of colors and sizes they come in, with everything from tiny blue ones to massive(ish) green ones. I used to try to catch them as a kid when I spent my summers in China; there was a type we called “big green bean” in Chinese that was very common across the area I was in. I’ve always admired their agility and grace… they can glide around rather effortlessly through the air. So much better than bugs that don’t fly or make it look like it’s a lot of effort. They’re kind of like the cool kid on the block and I think they’re awesome all around! If I was an insect I’d have fun as a dragonfly. A cute little blue one. 😛 It’d be great!
365great Day 237: change
I’m a big fan of change. It probably stems from moving frequently as a child and getting used to constantly adjusting. Things that are new and fresh are always fun, even as I miss the nostalgic stuff. I’ve never lived anywhere for more than 4 years consecutively and that’s the way I like it – as the years draw on, the itch for someplace difference gets stronger until I have the chance to relocate. I like to replace my laptop every 3 years or so and I upgrade my phone every 2 years as my contract allows. I love meeting new people, exploring new activities, and expanding my horizons. I try not to get stuck in the same habits too, whether it’s sleeping on the same side of the bed or arranging my furniture in a set way. I don’t like eating at the same place all the time (though I generally tend to order the same thing… can’t always have change I guess!) and like to try different ways of doing things to keep myself on my toes. It’s pretty easy for me to get bored, which is probably why I keep things fresh by maintaining a certain level of changing in my life. Just look at the beauty that can come of change in this picture – you can already see the butterflies that will be emerging from the cocoons in all their glory. Make room for change (embrace it, even) and you open yourself up to endless worlds of wonder. What great transformations you get to experience!
365great Day 236: sailing
My first major encounter with sailing was at Leadership Academy, which was a JROTC boot camp I attended in Newport, Rhode Island. One of the skills we were taught was sailing a tiny little sailboat operated by 4 people. The exact roles escape me now, but the sense of camaraderie and teamwork it took to successfully operate that sailboat have stayed with me over a decade later. We learned the techniques used to catch the breeze and got quite good! Many years later, I visited a friend and we got to enjoy sailing the Irish coast on his family’s yacht. Most recently, Panda and I soaked in the Hawaiian sun on a lovely excursion sailing with dolphins. Each of these times, I loved the sense of freedom you got from being out in the ocean and being so close to it. When you’re on a ship, the water is a distant thing; when you’re on a sailboat, you can just lean over the side to enjoy. I love connecting with the water that way. It’s such a great feeling!
