Pictures go a long way to convey things, but a single image sometimes isn’t enough to showcase stuff across locations, time, or other factors. That’s why I love to put together collages – it’s an easy way to visually get relevant images grouped together so you don’t need to flip through a dozen different pictures. A more consolidated view like that can help bring out a theme and if offers more versatility than trying to get everything into one picture frame in the first place. In the case of this collage I put together for the Carrabbas First Tastes event, I couldn’t have had all the items laid out on the table at once since the courses came one at a time. Even if they all came out at once, a giant picture of all the dishes could have shadows in the wrong places, dishes blocking each other, and other challenges. That’s why collages are great, since you can work around those issues!
365great Day 225: collages
365great Day 224: yoga
For the longest time I meant to take yoga classes and when I finally did, it did not disappoint. It’s amazing how something so simple, slow, and low-key could work you out so well. Yoga builds strength while somehow making you more limber. You can practice it just about anywhere and when you’ve gotten good you can do all kinds of cool poses like this one my friend’s holding. Yoga is also very much about your mind and I’ve always found it to be a peaceful activity that is relaxing yet rejuvenating. Through precise, controlled movements and deep, careful breaths, I manage to improve a bit each time. I can get a great workout in without ever breaking a sweat!
365great Day 223: desserts
I’m a sweets kind of person. That’s why my favorite course is dessert and I often don’t wait until the end of a meal to enjoy it. In fact, in high school my best friends and I would go out to restaurants and get our dessert brought out first. It confused many a waiter, though I’m not sure why they made it such a big deal. So what if we wanted to treat the dessert like an appetizer? I figured we may as well start with the best part and work our way from there. I also find desserts to be really fabulous breakfast items. My favorite is a giant cone of vanilla bean ice cream to kick off the day. I did that many a morning in middle and high school and I thought it was great!
365great Day 222: sunshine
Today I found myself noticeably more alert and energetic when the sun came out in the afternoon. It hadn’t struck me before, but I think I might have a mild case of SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Perhaps I’ve lived in the gorgeous Southern California sun for too many years now. While I’ve certainly missed having weather patterns like precipitation and experiencing true seasons, it hasn’t been all that easy readjusting to east coast life. When the weather is dreary (and often it is), all I want to do is snuggle up with a hot drink and relax with some mindless activities. It’s tough to get work done when I can’t feel my toes, my fingers are stiff, and I feel like I’m on the verge of being under the weather. I’ve been downing hot water these days – a good 8-10 mugs a day – and that helps at times, but it’s only a temporary solution. Maybe I’m going to want to move back to SoCal sooner than I thought… I mean, with sunshine nearly every day, it’s always great to be there.
365great Day 221: tenderness
I think the most beautiful thing in the world is tenderness. It exudes caring, compassion, thoughtfulness, warmth, sensitivity, and love. It could be a mother’s touch, a lover’s gaze, a friend’s affection, or even a stranger’s consideration. Often it’s the simplest gestures that speak volumes, from a stroke of the cheek to a careful brushing back of stray hair to a compliment whispered in your ear. Tenderness creates intimacy and a deeper connection that touches my heart. When I was a kid I always looked forward to getting sick because I never would and when I finally did, my mom would take care of me – tuck me in, touch my forehead gently, sit next to me and watch me sleep. It was one of the most amazing feelings, to know I was so loved and cared for. This picture is one of my absolute favorites of my best friend and I because of the strong connection we have and the lovely intimate moment we shared. It doesn’t look the most tender, but it brings out that sort of strong emotion for me. Isn’t it great?
365great Day 220: progression of life
Looking back on my life, each stage has had its own importance and shaped me in a different way. From the early years of being raised by extended family in China to my childhood move to the US… from my youth in quiet, peaceful towns to my adulthood in cities… from staying close to home for college (but then studying abroad) to my recent cross-country move… the continual progression of life is pushing me to all sorts of experiences. I’ve enjoyed all of these opportunities and I look forward to everything that growing older will bring. I think it’s a beautiful thing to see how much changes and how much growth there is over the years. I went from a super shy kid to a far more social teen. I went from being Chinese to Chinese-American. I went from being a student to being a worker. I’ve identified as a nomad, a traveler, a foreigner, a swimmer, a runner, a sprinter, a Navy cadet, an Air Force cadet, a loner, a social butterfly, a pledge, an active, a volunteer, an intern, an employee, a manager, an instructor, a counselor, a tomboy, a girl, a woman, a lady, and the list goes on… and with each, I’ve learned more about myself and evolved into who I am today. I’m happy with where I am today yet I also look forward to a great future.
365great Day 219: fresh meal kits
I think the only way to get me to cook are these amazing meal kit delivery services that send fresh ingredients pre-portioned, with recipe cards to help guide your cooking journey. I’ve tried HelloFresh and Blue Apron so far, both of which have provided delicious meal options. I’m getting a lot more confident in the kitchen and I’ve expanded my skill set beyond throwing things in a pan and pouring on soy sauce. This is actually also the first time I’ve cooked with meat, other than a few dumpling-making sessions. I always thought chicken took longer to cook! So I’m learning a lot, gaining a very useful skill, and having a ton of fun along the way. If only I knew what to do with all the ice packs I’m acquiring from these deliveries… well, regardless of that, these subscriptions are great!
365great Day 218: battery packs
The battery life of the iPhone 5 can leave a heavy user with much to be desired. It certainly doesn’t last the whole day if you’re using it regularly to take photos/videos and go online like I do. When I got my first battery pack this summer, I was pretty happy. Now I could extend my phone’s usage by at least another one and a half times! Then my mom came back one day and handed me a box asking if I wanted it. Inside was the pretty blue one you see here. It was something the company gave everyone as a gift and she has no use for it. I couldn’t resist taking it too – I mean, it’s really pretty and has a nice curved shape that feels good, but more importantly it’ll actually charge my phone twice over. The more juice I can get out of these things the better. Now I never have to worry about my phone dying from a long day. That peace of mind is totally great.
365great Day 217: Grooveshark
I’ve had a few songs stuck in my head lately and sometimes I just want to listen to them without having to own them, wait for them to come on the radio, or pull up a video. That’s exactly what Grooveshark is perfect for! You can create your own playlists with whatever songs you want and play them as many times as you want. You get ultimate control over what you listen to and you don’t even need to pay a thing or sign up. It really can’t get much easier than that. I don’t know how they do it, but I sure am glad to be able to use them. What a great service!
365great Day 216: aerial acrobatics
I took aerial acrobatics classes when I got a deal on them a few years ago. It was such a fun way to exercise, build strength, gain flexibility, work on endurance, and look really cool while you’re accomplishing all that. I worked on both the trapeze and the ribbons, where you had to make precise movements and hold certain poses. At times I felt like a monkey, and a very graceful one at that. I picked it up pretty quickly and surprised my instructor with my innate ability to do aerial work. When she asked me if I worked out and I told her I did yoga once or twice a week, she seemed shocked that I was so strong. I must say, it made me feel good about myself and the soreness afterwards was well worth the fun. When I get a chance and have the funds, I’m definitely going to pick this up again. Who doesn’t enjoy a workout that is like playing on a jungle gym? It works you out in so many ways and you don’t even feel like it’s work since you’re having such a blast. Now that’s great!
