Heading Home for the Weekend

Tomorrow morning B and I (and Miles!) are hitting the road and driving to my parents' house. They live about 3 hours south of Santa Barbara, but we have to drive through Los Angeles to get there. Translation: Add an hour to ETA. There is always traffic in LA. I love driving, and I love visiting my friends and family, but if there's one thing I rarely have the patience for it's sitting in traffic. I'm so glad B and the pup will be in the car to keep me company!!

The reason I'm heading out towards the desert in the middle of a heat wave on labor day weekend is the same reason I flew out to Idaho (which to me, is the middle of nowhere) one month ago. My best friend's wedding. We grew up together and she spent most of her life at home. But since she now lives in Idaho, most of our friends were not able to attend the wedding or give their gifts. So this weekend, her mother is throwing a reception for the newlyweds so that the majority of people she knows and loves can attend.

Since she has been my best friend since age 3, I am obliged (in a good way - I want to) go. The wedding was fun, but I want to celebrate her big day with all of her family and friends. And my man! So, if I don't get any posts in this weekend - although I fully intend to - it's her fault! Just kidding, it's my mom's fault :)

I hope you all have a beautiful weekend as summer draws to a close. Much love!

I *heart* My City

I've mentioned this before, but I'm going to say it again: I love Santa Barbara! My hometown is a little city in the desert with nothing fun to do. It's in a valley south of Los Angeles, so all the smog from LA drifts down and keeps the dirt and heat trapped in this little city. So when I moved to new city with things to do, clean beaches to stroll, and fresh air to breathe, I instantly fell in love :)

Today I met up with a friend who graduated from UCSB two years ago and moved to NYC for graduate school. She is studying to be an occupational therapist and loves her new life in the Big Apple. However, when she comes back to visit, she realizes how much she misses little ol' SB.

This morning we took advantage of the beautiful beach-town weather and went to a coffee shop to catch up. She brought a friends with her from NY; it was this girl's first time in California. So we got a cold drink, sat at a table on the sidewalk, and people-watched while we chatted. We took her around and showed her things that we are so used to here, but that are non-existent in New York. It made me realize that I've been taking our grocery stores, coffee shops, and parking structures for granted.

I was actually able to slow down for a minute today and enjoy some time outdoors in this beautiful city that I now call my home. I was so bright-eyed and receptive when I first moved here, but now that I'm used to this little-big town I don't notice the small things anymore. When I go somewhere to get a coffee, I grab it and go. I hop back in my car and rush off to complete my to-do list for the day. Having company here reminded me how much I enjoy living in SB. And since I probably won't be here forever, I decided I need to continue taking advantage of living in such a beautiful and unique place. I want to cherish these moments in the city that defined my life as a college student. I still have that itch to travel, and I'm sure I always will. But since I am living here for the moment, I want to appreciate all the beauty and fun in this city.

So instead of being cooped up in my apartment this sunny afternoon, I'm going to get out somewhere and take my work with me. I need to enjoy this while it lasts!

Happy Things

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Yesterday I was reading a post on Oh, Mishka entitled Cheer Up. She had been in a funk and asked her reader what kind of things cheered them up. I replied and it sparked my idea for this post!

Things that cheer me up when I'm down:

A GOOD CRY When you're feeling sad, don't be afraid to let it out!! Hiding your feelings is one of the worst things you can do to yourself (emotionally). Crying is a natural response to hurt and sadness; it is supposed to be cathartic...so just let it happen.

SNUGGLING Whether it's with my boyfriend, the pups, or the 8,000 pillows on my bed, cuddling up and just relaxing helps to soothe the nerves. Don't talk, don't stress...just be.

SHOPPING As every woman knows, shopping is like grandma's chicken soup: a cure-all. Being out and about takes your mind off your worries, and doing something fun for yourself (and by yourself) can also be cathartic. When I'm doing my "shopping therapy," I usually just try a bunch of things on, carry them around the store for a while, then put everything back on the racks and go home. Or I'll but some things, take them home and leave them in the bag for a day or two, then go return them! Just the act of shopping is therapeutic for me, not the actual possession of new goodies.

YOGA I am a firm believer in the healing powers of habitual yoga practice and I truly enjoy doing it. Besides the physical exercise and accompanying release of endorphins, yoga also exercises the mind. It heals the mind and body simultaneously, and lets you really escape to your innermost self. A yoga class is an excellent place for making self-realizations, or just clearing your mind of all the crap that is going on around you.

MILES My boyfriend's dog Miles is my baby. He loves me, and I love him. Just looking into this dog's eyes can make me feel better, and he is very loyal and receptive of me. He knows when I'm sad and licks me until I give into him. He'll then either cuddle up with me, or force me to play with him. Whatever the activity, I swear that dog has incredible healing powers that a human can not offer.

FOOD As you'll probably soon learn about me, I love to eat! I love to go out to different restaurants, try new foods/drinks, and just snack in general. It's a very satisfying feeling. If you're feeling down, try treating yourself to your favorite meal or chocolate-covered snack!

A GOOD BOOK I have to read a lot of textbooks and scientific research papers for school, so it's not very often that I get to choose a book on my own and read it for leisure. When I'm in a funky mood, I'll set my academic obligations aside (you can't study effectively anyways if your mind is clouded with other troubles) and read a book of my choosing. I love classic literature, but my "reading therapy" usually consists of some kind of "girly" book. Some personal favorites include Eat, Pray, Love (which any woman should read, and probably reread), and books by Candace Bushnell (inspiration for Sex and the City).

DRIVING I find driving very therapeutic. It's a completely different experience when you're not driving to anywhere in particular. Sometimes I just drive around and explore different areas of the city, or I'll pick a destination (like a coffee shop, or even a gas station) and take the long way.

MUSIC Even for those who aren't avid or obsessional music lovers, listening to your favorite songs will cheer you up...or at least take your mind to another place for a little bit. Again, catharsis can be easily initiated by the right combination of sounds and lyrics. I often make a playlist on my computer just for that occasion, depending on what kind of mood I'm in.

A NAP Being upset often makes you tired, so a nap will physically be good for you. Some sleep will also help to clear your mind and make those problems seem at least a little smaller. Naps can be very refreshing (if you actually sleep) and will give you the energy and clarity of mind to tackle those emotional demons.

HAIR-DOS When I'm alone, I like to experiment with different hair styles. Many girls do this with makeup, which is also fun. But I already have a knack for doing makeup, so I focus my negative energies on my unruly hair. It not only gives your mind something else to do, but you might also stumble upon some new look that really works for you!

BEING ALONE When I'm in a funk because of personal issues (especially my depression, or perhaps certain issues with my boyfriend), I prefer to be alone. Many of the previous items on this list are activities that I do alone, and can only be done alone. I don't want to project the gray cloud over my head onto other people, so I just tuck myself away somewhere soothing until I can be around humanity again.

NOT BEING ALONE Sometimes there are those issues in your life that will only go away if you're distracted by another person. In some depressions, being alone is not a good thing. When I'm in these type of moods, I make my situation worse by stewing over things in my head. This often leads to the manifestation of more problems, many of which are completely fabricated in my emotionally clouded head. Going out with the girls for a night on the town, or going to a movie with the man are good distractions from the dangerous workings of your own mind.

These are just a few of the things that cheer me up in general. Of course, there are always situations in which these may not work, or another uplifting opportunity arises. You just have to see what works for you. Check out the comments on the blog I mentioned earlier for more suggestions. Also, I would love your comments about what brings you out of a funk!!

Have a beautiful day everyone! Keep your head up and a smile in your heart (and hopefully on your face)!

Impressionability

I'm at that point in my life where I have no idea what I'm doing. Post-graduate with no real job options in this economy, I feel like I've spent so much money on an education and now I'm even more confused then before! Every possibility that crosses my mind sounds like the best one at the time. Am I so eager to so something with my life that at this point I'll do anything?

My degree is in biology, which was chosen almost at random. My minor in English reflects what I'm truly good at and more passionate about. I love reading and writing and have a knack for it. But at the time I finally declared a major, science was the route I chose because it was interesting and very challenging. Now that I'm done with school, everything seems challenging. My prospective career path is in nursing; however, nearly all nursing programs in the state of CA are impacted so there is about a two year wait list. In the mean time, what shall I do...? I'm trying to pick up some freelance writing jobs, even unpaid just to get my name out there. I'm currently working on some writing projects for a local artist, but I'm realizing that this "unpaid experience" thing isn't going to pay my bills. I need to do something, go somewhere....I don't know....it's that quarter-life crisis.

I love to travel and have been wanting to get back out there, but being a student, it is difficult to save the kind of money needed for such a trip. Last night one of my good friends had a going away party that I missed out on because I was to work. She is leaving on Sunday to study abroad in Paris for 4 months, and I am sooo jealous. As someone who loves to explore new things, new places, new food, new culture...Paris is somewhere that I would looove to visit while I'm young. I've been talking about it for sometime, but now that my life is temporarily going nowhere, it seems like a great time to hop on a plane and explore a new city! With my friend living there for a few months, the desire to go stay with her for a couple weeks and refresh my spirits is all too tantalizing. I have some money saved up in a travel account, and a trip like this would probably deplete it (as I know I wouldn't be able to control my shopping and eating habits in a city like Paris). But every time I see or hear anything about Paris, I'm so tempted to go. Granted, I've been impulsive like this about most of the doors that I have tried to open in the past few weeks, but why shouldn't I be? Is this impressionability the result of being a lost and confused post-grad with very few options? Or is this just my free-spirited self seeing an opportunity that won't last much longer?

The answer to these questions seems to lie somewhere in between. I'm having a hard time figuring it out, and I think the answer I'm looking for (or at least part of it) might be in Paris...