Life

Creative Coping

It’s paradoxical, but all my best creative ideas come to me when I’m too stressed or busy to pursue them. I remember being so confused by this during my first exam period, but excited too: I kept a notebook open next to my work and jotted down ideas all through my study day. It was a way to cope with my inevitable boredom at the long, monotonous hours of library drudgery. Two years later, and I’m still “blessed” with a surge of creativity right around the most stressful part of my year.

I know that many people work best under pressure, staying up all night to get an essay finished or cramming for an exam. I can’t work like that, personally: the mere idea of it stresses me out so much that it’s motivation to just get to work right now! That’s not to say that I don’t suffer from my fair share of procrastination. But I would much, much prefer to start as early as I can – that way I can try to stay healthy, and be able to take some time off, when I need to, so I don’t get burned out. And no, I’m not always able to do this, and yes, sometimes I have to stay up later than I’d like to finish things I didn’t start on time.

Last night, my brain wasn’t having any of it. I hadn’t cared for my body properly – I’d been eating strange meals, hadn’t gone for a run because it was pouring rain all day, hadn’t slept almost at all the previous night (probably also due to stress) – and so it was rebelling. I couldn’t concentrate, I was tired, bored, unfocused.. My sweet mama urged me to take a break, citing the oh-so-wise maxim: “an hour-and-a-half of solid work is worth 3 of half-hearted”. Amen, mama. So I decided to stop trying to force it.

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Project 365: Week 15

I’ll admit: I got a little lazy once or twice this week, but I also got a little creative once or twice too! I think my favourite picture of the week is of my shrimp pasta, which I made in  my new skillet (which is gorgeous, but weighs a ton!). That was one of the best meals I’ve cooked in a while, and it helped that it was so pretty! The ginger syrup has been making a fine companion on those long studying days/nights. Homemade gingerale is the best! And of course, I still love my running shoes. Honestly, what’s great about Project365 (for me, who doesn’t have a dog or children to photograph!) is that it motivates me to document my everyday life. And I think I’ll be really grateful to be able to look back on this time of my life and see exactly what my day-to-day life was like. I love that.

I honestly can’t wait to get these printed as a Blurb book at the end of the year. Until then, I’m considering getting a book of my Instagram photos so far this year printed. If you’d like to do the same, you can use this link and enter 15OFFBLURB at the checkout to save 15% on your whole order. The ad I’ve put up on the sidebar will also work.

Happy Friday!

22 Before 22

It’s been strangely difficult to write this post. Mainly, I had to get myself over a mental hurdle, which was accepting that I’ll be 22 at my next birthday. I had this moment last week, where I realized I was turning 21, not 20, and it seriously freaked me out. There are probably some folks older than me in the audience who are scoffing at me freaking out about being 21, and trust me, I get it. But to a 21-year-old who is rounding the bend on the third of four years of a University degree, with almost zero conception of what she wants to do once she’s graduated, who never had any real plan for her life past University: this time is really scary. Being this age is pretty scary. It’s exciting, and wide-open, and awesome, but it’s also scary.

But be that as it may, I keep pushing myself. I get bored, I try new things, I gain new hobbies. Even though sometimes I’m terrified, or overwhelmed with anxiety, or feeling really low, I keep trying. I set goals, and I push myself to achieve them. That much I know! So I did compile a list of fun goals for my 21st year, even though I have 2012 goals already. I tried to choose things that can be checked off, and that will enrich my life in new ways.

If anyone reading wants to offer advice, send along links, or make suggestions about how I can achieve any of these birthday goals, I’d be thrilled to hear them. And, as always, thank you for following along with my life here on my blog, it means more to me than you know. xo.

22 Before 22

  1. Grow out my nails and get a manicure
  2. Run a race
  3. Make cheese at home
  4. Stay in a hotel and order room service
  5. Get a food blog post accepted to Tastespotting
  6. Become a penpal
  7. Read one Jane Austen novel
  8. Start a book club
  9. Make sushi
  10. Sew a dress
  11. Get a pet fish
  12. Send someone a care package
  13. Create a podcast
  14. Take a self-imposed break from the Internet
  15. Do a juice detox
  16. Take a photography class or workshop
  17. Grow herbs and cherry tomatoes
  18. Climb a tree
  19. Travel somewhere new
  20. Make cinnamon buns
  21. Self-publish a cookbook
  22. Have a tarot reading done

Birthday 21

Hello, everybody! I’m writing to you for the first time from a 21-year-old body. That’s right, I had a birthday over the weekend (Saturday, the 7th, to be specific) and I am now wise and old and adult-like. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

In reality, I decided at 1AM on Wednesday night that going home for the weekend would be an excellent idea. So, very un-adult-like of me, I booked a last minute train ticket, ditched my friends, and surprised my family. Everybody forgave me in the end, and it was the best of all possible worlds. (Points if you get the literary reference!)

I spent my birthday/Easter weekend surrounded by people and things that I love. Strawberry mojitos, for one. My family, for another. The Dark Prince that is my cat. Plus there were books, and phone calls, and cinnamon-toast-crunch-like Easter nests with Mini Eggs in them, and the Decorah Eagles livestream and a 2 hour hike, and all-you-can-eat sushi/thai, and an inappropriate amount of side-by-side Draw Something games, and brunch. My family was definitely in its element this weekend (go team!).

Then I came home last night and walked over to hang out with some friends and walked into a straight-up surprise party! Complete with a cookie/candy/chocolate pizza (#resuscitateme), and all my friends, and whipped cream, and smiles, and white wine. And maybe a bright red, Le Creuset, cast-iron, enamelled skillet. What? Is this real life? Is this a strange dream in which I get everything I’ve ever wanted, ever?

In all seriousness though, I feel so blessed, so loved, so happy. Smiles, all around.

I made a mini-book to document all the love from my birthday weekend. I still might add a few things to it, including photos and journalling, but I thought I’d share it now before I forget about it. I love minibooks (learn more about them here) because they give you a chance to be creative, keep all the memorabilia that you want, and streamline the junk. You’re left with a cute, special reminder of a particular event, and I love that. Enjoy!

The book is made up mostly of the cards and paper I just cut up into about the same size. The reason the pink “Happy 21st Birthday!” is backwards is because my sister filmed a really cute gif and thought she had to make the sign backwards for the camera – but it turns out, she didn’t! I like that story. I took the pretty envelope liners from my parents’ cards and glued pieces to the front so that I can preserve those too. My other sister brought me that cute postcard, from China. I made the cover page by slipping the card inside a plastic sleeve and sewing up the remaining 2 sides by hand with white thread. Yay! I love it so much.

ps. Remember those powerpoint slides from that awesome book preview that I loved so much because they suggested the best books but that I lost, seemingly forever? I found them! The birthday magic continues!

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