life lately: back in the game

I'm finally out of school for the summer, and I'll be back on the blog weekly now! It's been a while, and I'm feeling a little bit rusty, but I'm looking forward to getting back in the routine.

I tend to shy away from writing posts about what I've been doing, because I'm never really sure whether people find my life all that interesting (sometimes I don't), but it has been a while:

Going: to the beach (-each)! We've had a heat wave the past week, and headed out the minute the last class ended. NorCal beaches are always a bit chilly in the water though, so we just tanned and took (lots) of photos.

Watching: a fashion show at Stanford! It wasn't as big as I had expected, but it was still fun to see. I was surprised at how fast the looks went by, especially since we'd gotten there earlier for seats.

Listening: BFD at Shoreline Amphitheater! It was my first music festival, and I absolutely loved it. It was sweltering and humid, but hearing the bands live and being able to feel the bass vibrating was amazing. My favorite was Lucius, and Finish Ticket also had great charisma and energy.

Doing: Being more fit! We took the dogs a couple times up to the mountains, and they loved it.

Seeing: The new exhibit, Living Digital Space and Future Parks, at the PACE Gallery in Menlo Park. We went on a weekend, so it was quite crowded and hot, but I enjoyed seeing the works. Crystal Universe and Flowers and People, Cannot be Controlled but Live Together are great for photo ops.

Trying: Lush! I went to the grand opening of the store at Stanford, and they gave out some free goodies! I've been working my way through Roots and H'Suan Wen Hua, and both are amazing (though pricey!)

Visiting: The Oscar de la Renta Retrospective at the de Young. I went almost the last weekend, and it was packed! I was glad that so many people were interested in fashion, but it also made it difficult to really appreciate his work. I also wish they had models, so you could see the fabrics in motion, rather than simply on mannequins.

Reading: Always Pack A Party Dress by Amanda Brooks. I can never get enough of fashion biographies, and have already reviewed and read a handful!

I've had a great time out there not worrying about driving traffic to the blog or coming up with new ideas to write about, but I'm excited to be back and creating more content. With that said, I'm still a bit dry on things I want to discuss, so let me know what you'd like!

xx
Angelina

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6 ways to stay heathy for lazy people

Like most people, I strive to be healthy, and somewhat fit. Unlike most people though, I expect my fitness to come naturally, and without sweat à la Taylor Swift exiting her ballet class looking more perfect than I ever have been. 

But as Taylor and I do not share the same gene pool, and therefore the same ability to not sweat, I've developed a few tactics for staying healthy and fit when you're as lazy as I am. 

1. Daily workout videos

I originally found Cassey Ho through her The "Perfect Body video, and I've been doing some of her videos every day. I typically do a couple on the same day, call it quits, and go back to my Netflix marathon. Baby steps right?

I also try to incorporate yoga as well - and no, that's not just because I want to be able to do those funky poses to post on Instagram. The idea of a form of working out that doesn't emphasize speed, lifting weight, or endurance is so appealing to me, and we all need to take it slower on some days. 

2. Stretching everyday

I try to stretch in the morning after I get up, and before I go to bed. I've stayed flexible enough to put my palms flat on the ground (this is my one somewhat impressive athletic feat), meaning I'm completely capable of picking things off the ground in my tight skinny jeans. 

On a more practical note, stretching minimizes the chances of injury, especially tearing muscles and tendons. It's helpful for getting rid of tight spots, which I'm sure we all get from crouching over our laptops or desks. 

Although honestly, what's more practical than not having to bending your knees to pick up things?

3. Drinking lots of water

Yes, you will have to pee a lot. And if you are in tight knit environment, your teacher/professor/boss may check in to see if you have bladder issues. But, you'll have shiny hair, clear skin, more energy, and better metabolism. Definitely worth it!

Frequently, when you feel hungry, you're actually thirsty. I've developed a habit of drinking a glass of water whenever I think I'm hungry, and if I still feel those pangs after a few minutes, I eat something.

Disclaimer - I do this because I don't have a very active lifestyle, if you're one of those types that runs for fun, disregard this. Also why do you do things like that?? I simply don't understand.

4. Snacks and small meals

I love my sleep, and I'm terrible at making real breakfasts - especially in these cooler months when I'm up before the sun. This leaves me hungry long before lunch, and these gluten free snack bars are the best. The company behind them, Natural Balance Foods, has a great philosophy - bringing you Whole Foods quality 100% vegan bars at prices the average student can actually afford. 

I've eaten more Nakd (*) bars than cookies this week, and that really says something! The flavors are surprisingly true to the names;  my favorites were Ginger Bread and Apple Crunch. 

5. Exercising with friends

The majority of the times when my friends and I get together to workout, we do something low intensity, so we can talk, or just enjoy each other's companies. Hiking and yoga are favorites, especially a trip to Yogurtland or Pinkberry afterwards. 

6. Rewarding yourself

I'm not naturally athletic, and I can't imagine working out purely for the fun of it. For me, I workout because I have goals I want to accomplish: being able to run a mile in under 8 minutes, being more toned, and being able to do the splits. To help me reach these goals, I reward myself with small shopping trips, being able to sleep in, or watching another episode of How To Get Away With Murder (thanks May for getting me hooked!)

The best reward is being happy with what you've achieved, whether that be a qualitative accomplishment, or a generally better self image. 

An Update:

Apologies for the slow post! I feel like I'm beginning to sound like a teen YouTuber with all my excuses as to why my content has been slowing down. 

I've been a little up and down emotionally this week, and it seems the more I pushed myself to come up with some amazing long form post about a deep topic, it just wouldn't come. My inner monologue is just one long string of "AAAAA!!!", yet I didn't want to do a roundup post, as that just doesn't seem to fit my blog. 

I'm also considering starting some sort of short weekly podcast, where I just ramble and talk about my day, because I feel like my posts seem to focus largely on huge events. I'm not sure if that would be odd though - listening to a stranger on the internet ramble on. Maybe short of a "coffee break post" column instead?

What are your tips for staying healthy? What's your proudest accomplishment (athletic or not)? Podcast - yes or no?

xx

Angelina

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how to make "me time" when you don't even have free time

Look at that rhyme! I always seem to brainstorm best late at night, when I really should be sleeping. I was in that state of half awake, half asleep, and I just jolted awake, delighted with myself that I had come up with such a hilarious title. So I had to use it obviously.

We all lead busy lives, and often, we don't have time to do the things that we genuinely like, due to school, work, and other commitments. Over time, life can begin to seem like one long challenge, in which there is no reward. But it shouldn't be that way! As someone who wishes there were more hours in the day, here are some tips and ideas to make the best of them, and have time for what you want to do.



Multitask
To be clear, this is not multitasking while doing work. This is pairing something mindless with something that involves more thought, effectively killing two birds with one stone.

For me, I like to go through photos while listening to Ted talks. I used to listen to music on the radio, but found those tended to get stuck in my head often, preventing me from falling asleep at night. Ted talks are thought provoking, and I can still "turn them off" when needed.

I also walk my dog while listening to music. You could easily replace music with a podcast, book, or even lectures if you're studying for tests. I personally don't, because I use dog walking as a time to clear my mind and take a break from school work.

Set a limit (and follow it)
Almost everyday, I'm done with work at least an hour before I go to bed. I use the remaining hour to do things I like, such as maintaining the blog, talking with my family, and watching TV. We like to religiously watch The Big Bang Theory - past addictions have been Burn Notice and White Collar.

Even if I haven't finished all my work, or perfected all the details, I stop working at a certain time. It can be hard at first, but it really pays off for your sanity to be able to say, "I worked until this time. I deserve my guilt free night now."

Organize your time efficiently
Similar to multitasking, organizing your time well will ensure being able to devote quality hours for you time! With the majority of my work being done online/needing technology, it's sometimes hard to stay off Facebook or Instagram. In the end though, I find my concentration is the best when I'm completely focused on one thing.

A method of studying I like to use during finals is the (25/5)x2, 15 (edit: it's called the Pomodoro Technique). I simply study/work for 25 solid minutes, taking a 5 minute break at the end. After 2 of these chunks, I take a longer 15 minute break. It makes concentration so much easier, and you feel completely in control of your schedule.

Simple things you can do for yourself
A few easy and quick things I like to do for myself are:

• Short exercise videos that really pack a punch. These are best (for me) right before bed, or when I need a break from work. 
• Pour yourself a hot cup of coffee or tea before you get down to work. I go through so many containers of Trader Joe's Spicy Chai mix!
• Make your bed and clean your room. It'll do wonders for clearing your mind, and helping you think!
• Hit up your friends or family and see if they can video chat or talk on the phone. It's much better and quicker than texting, and I think it's something we should do more of. Also, just a crazy idea, how amazing would it be if we could all get on a video platform sometime and chat with each other?
• Late night sweets/snacks run. There is nothing more satisfying than going out after a long day and buying some junk food to share with your friends eat all by yourself. 
• Journal about your day or thoughts. This has been a habit of mine for many years, and it's very therapeutic. I feel like once I write down a thought or emotion, I can stop holding onto it, and don't need to think about it anymore. 

A bit about my week:: I recently got over a cold and fever. There was something going around at school, and it wasn't severe enough to warrant staying home. I started with a sore throat on Wednesday, which progressed to a pounding headache. All of Saturday was spent moping around, but on Sunday, I woke up feeling so refreshed and happy. 

I actually don't have too many quizzes or exams this week, and it's nice. I ordered a few things online, and have been anxiously awaiting their arrival. Time seems to pass slowly when you're waiting for things!

Also, yesterday was the first day of autumn, and I'm hoping we'll be able to start wearing actual fall clothes soon! Unlikely, given our odd swings back and forth in temperature. Still have to shave for a few more weeks..

Finally, I started a blog Instagram! I won't be posting too often (unless I get carried away and you guys have the responsibility of telling me my life can't possibly be that interesting and to stop posting everything. I mean it. Do it!), but you'll get to see some exclusive content that won't be on the blog. 

What are some things you guys do to unwind? What are your tips for making me time? How has your week been?

xx

Angelina

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p.s. I hit 100 Bloglovin' followers! Thanks guys <3

adios summer 2015

Every year, I make a bucket list of things I want to try and accomplish over the summer. It helps me plan out my time, and keeps me from being bored! This year, I got quite a lot done. 

1. Bake super cute cookies - I'm terrible at baking, so this was way over my expectations! I had (lots of) help from a friend, and they were amazing for photos, and even better for eating. 

2. Spend 24 hours with someone - There are like 2 people I could spend this long for in one sitting without going crazy - one of them lives in Canada. We got a ton of things done, shot lots of photos, and caught up with each other's lives!

3. Redye my hair - I originally dyed my hair in April, so it was time for a touch up. My hair was much more damaged this round, and I now have two tufts of hair that stick out. It's terrible, and they look like horns. 

4. Take photos with someone who traveled to California - Nora and I met through Instagram - she's originally from Atlanta, so it was really cool to be able to meet her!

5. Go on a picnic - Ok, so this one is mainly for the photos, but I love going out and doing things I used to when I was younger. When you're swamped with schoolwork, picnics aren't really an option, but in the summer, they're my favorite thing to do. 

6. Do a roadtrip to SoCal - 2 weeks, 4 (and a half) posts - 1, 2, 2.5, 3, and 4.

7. Sit by a window and read while it rains - Technically I wasn't sitting by the window. Or reading a book, which is what I originally meant. Buuut, on our last day in LA, it rained for a few hours, and we sat in the lobby of the Line Hotel (they play some really nice music), and I read blogs. So I'm counting it!

8. Do a shoot with someone Internet famous - LA is like the Mesopotamia of YouTubers, so I thought going there would make it a lot easier to shoot with one of them! I didn't get to - I discovered how most of them are rather occupied with other things and won't respond to your DMs after a while, buut I did get to do a shoot with Jennifer from Art In Our Blood! The pictures aren't up on her blog, but you can see some of them here and here. She's such a genuinely kind person, and I loved getting to talk to her. 

9. Start making a dress - I've always wanted to get into designing and making my clothes. A dress, since it allows for more mistakes, seemed like the perfect way to get into it! I worked on this for about 5 hours nonstop, and now it's just been sitting in a corner. This is a terrible habit I have. 

10. Take photos for a couple - Next up: get cute couple pictures taken of me and my...dog.
11. Make a teapot that works - I have a love-hate relationship with teapots. I love making them in different shapes - the bottom one is the first one I ever made in elementary school, the pumpkin is more recent (inspired by Cinderella's carriage), and the unicorn is from this summer. It technically works, but someone fired it with the lid on, so it's glazed shut...
12. Receive a sponsorship through my blog - I started blogging regularly in April, and I'm really happy about my sponsorship from eShakti. Not because I'm into blogging for free clothes (if that was my goal, I think I'd do those surveys that pay you instead of this), but it was just the first tangible outcome. It was like a reassurance that yes, we see all the hard work you've put into this, and it's paying off!
13. Make $500 from photography - This summer, I ran two week long photography camps, took photos for two summer camps, and a company, and taught on the side! I ended up making over $1,800, which was way more than I expected!
14. Take more Polaroids - A few years ago, I got a polaroid camera for Christmas, but I rarely use it. I made a point to bring it on my SoCal trip, and took tons more!
15. Take blog photos for someone - Blog photos are so so so fun to take. End of story!
16. Sell/trade 80% of the clothes I didn't want - I shop a lot. I also get tired of clothes quickly. Solution? Selling and swapping on Poshmark, Vinted, and with friends! For me, 80% was about 70 items.
17. Take photos with 3 people I don't know very well - Towards the end of the year, I was running out of people to photograph. My photography Instagram was starting to look like a fan page for the few regulars I did shoot with! I reached out to a few people, and am finally out of my photo rut.
18. Participate in a Color Run - A great way to trick myself into being active. Because I will never be one of those people who run for fun. Except maybe in the mall. Mall marathons, I would do those.


A few items I didn't get around to, but will next year (hopefully):
1. Go to an outdoor concert.
2. Volunteer.
3. Go to the zoo.
4. Go to the Boardwalk.
5. Go swimming (yes I went my whole summer without ever going swimming. Not on purpose).

What are some of your summer highlights? Do you like to plan things out beforehand, or just let things happen? What do you hope to do next year?

xx

Angelina

p.s. I'm also trying to figure out what color to dye my hair next. If you'd like to help out, I would be forever grateful if you guys used this form (yes I made a survey)!

the color run - tips and experience

Ever since I first heard of The Color Run, I've been dying to go! It seems like a fun run that anyone, even the less athletically inclined, can participate in. And it definitely was worth it!

After the jump, find out my tips and experience to make your run the "Happiest 5K"!

Obviously, as the name says, this run is full of color! You'll get powder everywhere, so make sure to wear shorts you don't mind getting a little dirty. I saw a few people with Lulu leggings, which I would strongly suggest not to do, as they're expensive and easily attract dirt and cornstarch (what the color powder is made of). 

I didn't know this ahead of time, but the powder is actually done manually. There are volunteers at each color zone with powder in squirting bottles who fling it at you. They'll throw more on you if you run close to them with your hands in the air and generally look like you want powder. This also works if you don't want too much color - just run quickly through the middle. 

Alternatively, if you feel like you don't have enough of one color, there are piles of leftover color at the end of each Color Zone. We had a mini color fight where we just picked it off the ground and threw it each other. This covered a lot more than the volunteers did. 

I definitely had the most fun at the party at the end. There was music and dancing, and lots of color bombs - they hand you some packets to throw at the finish line, in addition to your medal. It was also the perfect opportunity to take videos. 

I did get some corn starch right in my eye though, so definitely be wary of that if you decide to join in. I saw I wasn't the only one - there was a girl with tear tracks running down her cheeks. They do have a first aid station, but it was a bit far, and I didn't want to leave the front in case I couldn't get a spot again. It is just cornstarch though, and it'll go away in a bit. 

As you can see, we got a lot more drenched in color after the party. There are clouds of color powder, and it all gets on you. I wasn't a huge fan of how blurry my shirt looked after this, so if you're looking to keep it bright and colorful, skipping this would probably be a good idea. 

It was nice the stuff came in a plastic bag, so it didn't smear everywhere on the way home. I would bring a change of clothes if possible, or at least lots of towels so you don't get color everywhere in your car. There weren't any places to store your stuff that I could see, so your car would most likely be the best option. 

They do have bathrooms available, but they're Portapotties, so I would strongly recommend going beforehand. They also have a water station along the way. 

Almost everyone I saw was walking, or lightly jogging. There is definitely no shame in not being fit, as most people take their time and enjoy themselves. It's very wheelchair or stroller friendly, and there were also a few little kids walking it as well. 

Although a little hard to see, the colors on my shirt have all run together. I'm still debating over whether I want to try something with vinegar and have it stay in, or wash it again so it's white. 

I was originally a little worried about hair and the staining, but it worked out very well. I used a little bit of leave in conditioner, and it came right out in the shower. I don't think I would've minded too much if it had stained though! 

Overall, I really enjoyed the run, and it's definitely something I would do again - maybe as a volunteer. I would recommend signing up as early as possible for cheaper rates; it's very easy to pawn your ticket off to someone else as checking in is just giving them your ticket. 

If anyone has done this run or has any other ones to suggest, please do leave a comment below!

xx

Angelina

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