Rainbows are such a fascinating phenomenon. Few things are more awe-inspiring than a gorgeous rainbow appearing as a rainstorm clears the area. It’s a reminder that after the storm can come such beauty, tranquility, and wonder. Nature has amazing ways of showing us how the good and bad often go hand in hand. And of course the actual science behind it is pretty cool too, the way that light behaves in such an unexpected way. I mean, who would have guessed all those colors could come from refracted and reflected light? Today I watched a video of a lady talking about how when things get the hardest and you think you can’t make it through, you’re on the verge of a breakthrough. In a sense, I feel like I might be on that precipice right now. I’m ready for this storm to be over and the rainbow to brighten my day. I smile just thinking about it and anticipating the peace it will bring. I know it’ll be great when it finally comes!
365great Day 286: rainbows
365great Day 285: flying
Being airborne is so surreal. I mean, I’ve done it plenty of times throughout my life (starting at 3 1/2 :-D), but it hardly gets old. I love looking down at the landscapes of earth or even just getting lost staring at the vast ocean. The scale that we’re used to living our lives in falls away and suddenly it’s like being a giant looking down at tiny creatures. It’s fascinating and I get such a kick out of it. I always request a window seat on the plane because I could sit and gaze out for hours on end, lost in my own thoughts and random observations. In fact, I almost never get up if my flight is 5 hours or less. I’d much rather snuggle up in my seat and admire the view. Pollution has marred it over the years, but it’s still a great sight to behold.
365great Day 284: orchids
Orchids are my favorite flower, probably because they’re one of the few that come in purple. They’re also so beautiful, coming in a wide range of colors and shapes. I love the various patterns and structures of the flowers. It’s always so interesting browsing a selection of them and I can never choose a favorite! They make for a fabulous gift if you’re going to someone’s home and I’m totally going to have to get one for our kitchen when we move in. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them in a bouquet arrangement, which is awesome too – I much prefer my flowers to come to me in a pot so they can keep living. Every time I go to the grocery store, I check out their orchids and admire the display. It’s going to be so great when I get to see them every time I’m home in the future. 🙂
365great Day 283: Whole Foods
I love the smell of Whole Foods. It’s comforting to me, that mix of herbs and fresh food mingling. Their use of warmer colors in their stores is also a welcoming sight – none of that harsh whiteness of other stores. For a grocery story, I want a more homey feel and the combination of how their stores look and smell totally give me that impression. I’ve spent my fair share of time there, demoing a variety of products back when I was a product demonstrator. I’ve been to almost every single Whole Foods in the Greater Los Angeles region. There’s always so much to discover and I could spend ages in there finding new products to try. I also find grocery shopping can be such a cute thing, romantic even (yeah, I’m weird), so I love watching people shop. I also have great memories of delicious lunches at the El Segundo location. I miss that.
365great Day 282: wedge salads
For some reason, eating my salad like this gives me infinitely more pleasure than a normal salad. Somehow wedge salads feel more fun, more sophisticated, more unique. It’s amazing how the difference between cutting something up into pieces or leaving it mostly intact can vary so greatly. This particular wedge salad is my absolute favorite, probably because it doesn’t involve blue cheese. Caesar salads are a classic and putting the wedge salad twist makes it pique my interest. I liked that satisfying crunch from cutting off a bit to chew on and it felt far neater than a normal salad. Who knew cutting my food could be so entertaining? And hey, it’s like the lazy solution to a salad. Don’t want to cut up the leaves into bits? Just tear them off whole and drizzle cheese, dressing, and croutons! Easy. It’s a great way to enjoy your food in a refreshing manner.
365great Day 281: gifts
While I’m generally not into gifts and presents, they’re still fun to get sometimes. The surprise element of getting something combined with the mystery of what it is can be a fun and exciting experience. I enjoyed the white elephant exchange at work today and it reminded me of some of the joy that comes along with gifting. I was careful with what I chose and I’m sure it will be appreciated by the recipient. Some people went with silly gifts for a laugh, others went with totally random stuff and it was interesting seeing what it all was. You can find some funky items out there! It’s also really nice to get gifts for those who usually do without, which is why Panda and I will be donating a toy to kids each year. Ultimately it comes down to the experience of sharing time or care (for me at least), and that’s why gift-giving can be so great.
365great Day 280: Eiffel Tower
La Tour Eiffel. What a breathtaking sight. It’s funny that this giant metal structure could be so strikingly beautiful. Climbing up it is even more awesome and I wish I could go sip tea atop the Eiffel Tower every day. When I finally got a chance to go to Paris, I made sure to go to the Eiffel Tower a few times. Yes, once just wasn’t enough. Ever since I decided to take French in middle school, I’ve wanted to go to Paris. And there I was, at my personal mecca and I loved it. I could stare at it for days, admiring how it shines in the day and lights up at night. If you ever find yourself in Paris, be sure to take the stairs up this unique structure. It’s a much better experience that way and the view is great up there.
365great Day 279: swans
The closest I ever came to swans was in Lake Geneva, as I waded in those beautiful crisp waters and they peacefully swam around. I saw one brave woman swimming there and the swans were totally cool with her going by. These creatures are magnificent and have such an elegant look with those curved necks. While most people think of the white ones when they envision swans, the black ones are pretty gorgeous too. It’s also fascinating how they transform from these ugly little gray fluffy balls into these amazing white birds. The way they blossom into adulthood is transformational. Being able to spend time in such a serene environment amongst them was really great.
365great Day 278: fish spas
When I was traveling in Thailand, I found a fish spa to go try. I’d started to hear of them while working in Singapore, but they were generally too pricey for my taste. Then I found this one at their night market and I just had to give it a go. These little fish nibble at your skin and eat the dead skin cells. It’s a bizarre experience, all those little mouths pecking at you. At first it was very ticklish and I had to take my feet out a few times from the over-sensitivity. Once I got used to it, it was a hoot. These spas are supposed to leave your skin softer since the dead skin cells are removed. I certainly felt like my feet were softer, but that could have just been from soaking in the water. Either way, it was a really fun time – odd, but great and I think everyone should at least try it once.
365great Day 277: Lumi Inkodye
I got this cool set of Inkodye way back in the fall of last year, after Lumi’s Kickstarter ended and they produced the first batches of their product for backers. I’ve held on to it ever since, waiting for just the right things to try to dye. I’m still looking for a shirt or something, but in the mean time I came across the very same dye being sent out in a subscription box! Brandy of MommySplurge shared her cool creation and it’s adorable. Now I really need to get my act together and finally put my dye to use. What an amazing this concept is – turning the idea of a darkroom on its head and actually using the sun to set your dye rather than hiding from it! I’ve got to do something when I’m back in LA and I’ll definitely show you what happens. It’s gonna be great. 🙂
