A little thing called love.

I haven't blogged for a while now (sorry to anyone who actually reads this) mostly due to falling in and out of a funk I have been in, regarding the difficultly of finding an adequate job where I am. Though as a promise to myself to write as much as possible, I have been keeping up with my journal to relieve some of the messy, chaotic thoughts that I house in my head. 

An update of the end of my Summer and Fall is on it's way, though for the time being I only have one thing on my mind. 

Love.

Yes, I have fallen in love again. And it is a wonderful feeling. This time I swear it is as though Cupid him or herself has shot me straight in the heart. Maybe another time I will share the story of how exactly I fell head-over-heels for my man. 

Since I was unable to go home with him for Winter break (and my first Christmas I won't be going home to Maui), today I am thinking about him even more often than I usually do when I'm not with him... because today is his birthday! 

So in light of this beautiful day celebrating the day he was born, I thought I would share something I wrote a while ago when I first started falling for him :) Cheesy, I know.

Unexpected

In the darkness, the shadows of my mind

there you were
Where no one tends to stay for too long,
unable to break through the walls
For in allowing them to, I thought
disappointment would surely prevail 

Your tenderness and warmth, melts away

all there is and all there was

Warmth that I felt even before, a single touch
or brush of the skin 

Not yet knowing it's origins, a place
not yet explored

Like sparks of sage burning, on the stones 

there you were 
Like stars shining, against the only true black
a night's sky

Fire, heated the rocks from the earth and 

water, made them steam

In the midst of this blackness, nothingness

I effortlessly subside 

Water poured, steam 
rising 
Rocks cooling, I 
heating

With ease and comfort, I collapse 

into it, you, everything

As I let go, as I have been 

nothing matters 

It all had though, 
once

As you danced, 

in the shadows of my mind
There you were,

unexpected

Vote, please.

I am sorry to inform you I have done something that I am not proud of, and have actually cried over (though I should note that I was very sick and feverish while I did cry). I forgot to register to vote on time. There I said it.

The reason why this did occur with it not being my intention, was due to the fact that I am still a resident and registered voter in Hawaii, though I live in Oregon. It is very hard to gain residency here while being a student (which I was for the past five years) due to the large amount of students that want to do so for the sole purpose of paying in-state tuition. As a Hawaii voter then, I needed to mail in my registration earlier than the date for a change of address, which I didn't realize and wasn't paying attention to because I was and had been very sick for two whole weeks.

I remember being so excited to vote in my first election in 2008, and getting others involved in politics. But as someone who hardly ever watches TV (and when I do it's online so I don't have to be force-fed commercials every few minutes), watching the political debates this time around, and commentators before and after, has really gotten to me. I have come to the conclusion that it's all just sickening to me. Sickening! It's a game of he said this, and he did that, and this or that wasn't true and he doesn't smile right or her hair is messed up, and blah blah bloopideedoo. Watching any news whatsoever on the elections is more like watching a reality TV show than an informative program on where the candidates stand on real issues that should be mattering to us.

You see, I don't agree with the two party system, let alone many other important ways in which our government operates. I don't want to rant on and on discussing my views on politics in America, but I will make one main point. After reading an article discussing Robert Kuttner's opinions on the elections in the Eugene Weekly found here, I couldn't help but agree. Democrats need a progressive, not a centrist - as how our current president Obama has been defined. He is the third center-right Democrat president in a row: Carter, Clinton, Obama (and people have been talking about Andrew Cuomo or Hillary Clinton to be the next).

Though I was first appalled by finding out I missed Hawaii's mail in registration date, I am now realizing it's not the end of the world and in fact is somewhat nice to not have to deal with (though I will argue with people who don't vote solely for this reason).

To all my friends and people that know anything about me, I have done more than my share to get people educated on social issues and politics, and how to get involved in the past. From environmental and feminist groups, diversity leadership teams, feminist groups, to yes, even volunteering for OSPIRG on a rainy afternoon bugging students around campus to get registered to vote! Call me a hypocrite if you wish, but I own what and where I stand on all issues and will continue to fight for what I believe is just in this world- regardless of not voting this year.

So vote, for me.

Breakfast at Cassidy's

Good morning beautiful world!! Here's a short diary of recent breakfasts I've had through my instagram pictures; not necessarily implying that this is what my breakfasts regularly look like. Though I usually sleep in late into the mornings because I'm a night owl, breakfast even at a later hour is hands down my favorite meal. I eat breakfast for lunch and dinner very often :) 

Yogurt with ground flax seed, watermelon, cinnamon and maple syrup on top

My #1 go-to healthy breakfast (that I eat for lunch or a snack also): Ezekiel cereal with soy milk, bananas, raisins, and cinnamon

I never go to Jamba Juice because their smoothies are packed with sugars and inorganic, pre-made juices for the most part... but when I do, usually tagging along with a friend, I get a small green smoothie and a shot of wheatgrass) 

Peaches, yum 

Me being naughty- A whole cup of donut holes with coffee

Fresh squeezed orange juice from Off the Waffle before my favorite waffle, 'goat in the headlights'

As I've mentioned before I love kombucha first thing in the morning as a tea or coffee substitute, especially in the Summer

Green power smoothie (with lots of kale, mixed frozen berries, ground flax seed, yogurt, and soy milk - Don't mind the 'just woke up' picture of myself)

Coconut oil, jelly and pesto on Ezekiel toast, mate tea, and fresh tomatoes and figs from the garden!

Thoughtful Thursdays

What's age got to do with it?

With what? With everything. And oh ya... the answer's nothing.

Age is a number that we are assigned as to how many years we have been living on this Earth, in this particular lifetime, since the day we were birthed from our mother's womb.  That's it, just a number. But along with that number, society places an agenda. Because that's what modern day society always does, gives everything a fucking agenda- with rules. No one likes rules. We are told we are worth less, and can contribute less if we are too young or too old. Boxes are made for us to fit into as we go through childhood, and then our 20s, and a different ones for our 40s and so on. But what fun is that? To only stay in one box - doing things other people your age are supposed to be doing, interacting with those only at an acceptable age for you to - how boring.

Relationships whether platonic or romantic, should be just and only that. An interaction with another who you have a connection with on some sort of level. An exchange of emotions, feelings, dialogue, and experiences that bridge two separate entities as one, for as long or as short of a time period as wanted.

That is what life's all about after all.
Meeting new people, having exchanges, encounters, experiences...

I sat in my back yard today for hours with my roommate and her friend who came over with her dog to eat some special cookies, chill, and chit chat. Her stories were intense, funny, inspirational, and everything between. Conversation topics came and went as effortlessly as the tide. Love of dogs, sex, their children (who as mother's couldn't help but brag about), to open relationships, dance, and the Eugene scene. Taking a moment to retreat within my own being, witnessing my experience from the outside, I was humbled by the pure joy in conversation with a complete stranger I had just met and my new wonderful roommate - both women are at least twice my age. Only the night before, we hosted a last minute bbq in which I had a similar experience (and I have many times before but it's always refreshing to remind yourself of what, and who you enjoy most in life). I had a few friends come hangout, and met a variety of folks from all age groups who I no doubt had some interesting conversation exchanges with. Good food, good people, good times. That's all that matters in life.

Moving.

Physically moving, any type of movement at all, is always good for you. Movement embodies change. Whether you are walking, dancing, changing your mind, or physically moving into a new home. I love moving.

I am finally settled into my new house across town. I am living in a beautiful home with two older women, one of which is the landlord and owner of The OMbrellas, and both are inspiring and intriguing to get to know. It feels great to end a chapter of my life and begin the next one in a new place. After ending a relationship, graduating, and moving farther away from the college scene life style physically and mentally, I can honestly say I feel great! Still in a transition period non the less, I have never been more excited for what is to come next.

In applying for varies jobs and focussing my energy on the need for wealth and abundance, I had forgotten for a second what great things I already have going on in my life. I was offered a small job to work the McKenzie Arts Festival for the MyMcKenzie ELP project I was a part of, and have some really exciting things going on with the nonprofit NICE I'm working with (like creating a workshop to facilitate during a community convergence weekend)!

Also currently focussing on: my little sister! She's moving back home to Maui and leaving me in Oregon, only for a while then who knows where she's headed. I will miss her like crazy.

Here's something to laugh at, or not... If you understand my sense of humor and why this is actually a fundamental downfall of our society today. 

peaceBOMB Bracelets

I fell in love with the peaceBOMB project and Article 22 after learning about their story as I am sure you will also. The idea of cleaning up a postwar sight (in Laos), reducing the amount of dangerous metals from bombs left behind, bringing awareness to recycling this trash into new usable jewelry and other goodies, while bringing more awareness to consumerist American ways in comparison to the global market... well it's just astonishing and inspiring!

So, when my ex and I had been discussing what each other wanted for our one year anniversary (which was last October) instead of a piece of jewelry with no meaning behind it, I asked her to get me a peaceBOMB bracelet.

Whenever I wear it and glance at my wrist, I am not only reminded of what the bracelet is made out of and where it came from, but of how peace is a never ending goal that everyone should strive for. Yes here it comes... I want world peace! There I said it, and it doesn't matter how "Miss beauty pageant" of me I sound, I honestly believe that it's possibly.

I'm Back.

So I have been away from the blogging world lately. Did you miss me? And by "you" I mean of course any person who falls on my blog by accident, seeing as how I have no real followers.

A lot has happened, good along with bad and many exciting changes. Instead of writing a short novel on the play by play of my life lately, I thought I'd point out just a few of the important happenings accommodated by a few pictures.

• I turned 23!

• I presented the MyMcKenzie project's poster at the University of Oregon's 2nd annual Undergraduate Research Symposium.

• I created a presentation for the MyMcKenzie team to present at the Environmental Leadership Program's end of the year gathering. 

• The MyMcKenzie project was featured in Cascade Magazine. A link to our featured article that I was interviewed for can be found here. 

• I went to the Sasquatch Music Festival at the Gorge in Washington which was an insane weekend filled with inspiring people, music and dancing with gorgeous views.
   

• My partner and I broke up :/ But we are still close friends. 

• I cut my hair way shorter! 

• I finished my first grant I had been working on for a long time for a grant writing class. 

• My laptop finally gave out after five years. (fyi: this screen shot means it can no longer read the hard drive)

• I graduated from the University of Oregon majoring in Environmental Studies with Geography and Planning Public Policy & Management minors. 

(I got a new laptop as a graduation present! The new MacBook Air.)

• I got an internship with NICE (the Northwest Institute for Community Enrichment)!

• I will be moving into a new house in two weeks with two other older women. I always love moving to a new place, there is something rejuvenating about it :)

Sick days

I miss the days as a child when being sick was not necessarily bad, but it was sometimes even a good thing. It meant you could skip school and stay home watching movies or reading in bed and eating soups mom made.

Now, as an adult, being sick is the exact opposite of a good thing and I dread the days of classes or work I have to miss. Two weeks before finals week this term I got a horrible body flu with a fever that literally took every inch of my bodies energy and drained it. It seemed like the universe was almost laughing at all the things I needed to accomplish that week and made it impossible for me to do anything but stay in bed. As an adult now, I am equip with the knowledge of how to get myself better and back to my healthy self. I was out with this sickness for about a week and got better just in time to catch up before finals.

After being so sick I thought I would share some of my go-to recovery tools:

• Lemon water with cayenne pepper (either cold or hot as a tea) 
• Echinacea goldednseal
• Ginger tea (soak organic ginger root in  boiling water)
• Throat coat tea
• Lots of water
• Lots of vitamin C

Ten ways to good health.

 If you want to purchase the cup you can go here.

Growing up I was reminded on a daily basis about the principles of good health by my mother. We ate and lived a specific way.  I watched her prepare nutritious, well balanced meals and pick the parking spot farthest away from our destination because "a little walk won't hurt" - and the time we spend walking across the entire parking lot is always less than the time people spend driving around trying to find one right in the front.  She has no doubt influenced my life tremendously and helped shape my thinking in what it means to lead a healthy life.
 
The other day as I was drinking tea, I remembered a small mug that she had that outlined the ten ways to good health. As I searched for it online, I was SO pleased when I actually found it and saw that it was cheap and accessible. I can't wait to purchase it and have it in my household as a daily reminder of my mother and ways to practice good health.

The Ten Ways to Good Health are:

Less Alcohol    More Tea
Less Meat        More Vegetables
Less Salt          More Vinegar
Less Sugar       More Fruit
Less Eating      More Chewing
Less Words      More Action
Less Greed       More Giving
Less Worry       More Sleep
Less Driving     More Walking
Less Anger       More Laughing

Staying focussed.

As I head deeper into this winter term and find myself having to study for midterms,  I have been getting distracted from anything and everything I find needs to be organized, looked at, read (not academic reading), cleaned or cooked, etc. The problem is that some of these things actually should and need to be done; not right now though but when I actually have leisurely time to do so. My time at this point should be spent solely focusing on school work, doing my best to get good grades and so forth, and figuring out what I want to do once done with this term in terms of work can wait til afterwords.

I think this is happening in part because my subconscious keeps telling my brain that I am almost done with my undergraduate work and will be graduating in the Spring. Seeing as how this is my fifth year doing undergraduate work with no real breaks in between grade school and college, I am finding myself wanting to venture away from academic studies and do some real hands on work in my career field gaining experience. I would like to think that many students in the same point in their lives feel the same way right about now. However, I have many close friends of mine who know exactly what they want to do, going straight to graduate school to become doctors, lawyers, teachers and so on only to go through four to eight more years of schooling.

Over the years I have come to realize that everyone has their own path to follow in life, to eventually end up where they want to be and be content with how the universe placed them there.  Knowing that my journey will be like no other, I stop comparing myself to those around me.  I still do though, tend to want to know exactly which path I should take and worry I will make the wrong decisions for work I choose and head down the wrong career path.

A believer in the theory "all things happen for a reason" I find myself often skeptical of people that put too much faith in this; to just let the world have it's way with them without making any tough decisions. Or if they do make tough decisions they choose quickly and always use this theory as their excuse for bad choices. You know which kind of people I am talking about. There is a difference between this, and being content with where you are in life at the present moment and allowing opportunities to flow into your life.  The latter is what I am trying to currently focus on. I need to allow myself to be open so opportunities may flow into my life that will guide me along my own path. In being open I will no longer be fearful of making mistakes and not succeeding because I know that I will.

My Favorite Kale Salad!

 Raw

Tuscan 

Kale 

Salad

This is one of my absolute favorite kale salad recipes, that I have made way too many times to count! It is full of my favorite leafy green, kale!, and has the perfect combination of a lemony cheesy dressing that softens the kale after a few minutes. I found this recipe, the Raw Tuscan Kale Salad on Heidi Swanson's blog 101 Cookbooks, but is originally from Melissa Clark's book In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite. What is so great about this recipe it that it takes 10 minutes or less to make and cooking time (when it just sits, it doesn't actually cook) is only 5 minutes! 

With all the countless times I have made this salad, I have only gotten a few pictures of it in-the-making with my old phone. Maybe that proves to show how excited I am to eat it each time I make it, and therefore never really caring about pictures. If food-porn is what sells you on whether to try a recipe or not, check it out on Heidi's blog!

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch Tuscan kale (for ex: black or lacinato)
• 2 thin slices country bread, or two handfuls good, homemade coarse breadcrumbs 
• 1/2 garlic clove
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch 
• 1/4 cup (or small handful) grated pecorino cheese, plus adiitional for garnish 
• If you don't have pecorino, parmesan cheese can be a substitute
  
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for garnish 
• Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon (around 1/4 cup) 
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

(You can see the garlic and salt paste consistency on the lower left corner of the cutting board)

Instructions:

• Slice (or just tear apart with your hands like I often do) the kale into 3/4-inch ribbons. You should have 4 - 5 cups. Place the kale in a large bowl.

• If using the bread, toast it until golden brown on both sides and dry throughout. Tear into small pieces and pulse in a food processor until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Or you can use premade bread crumbs like I often do in a rush. 

• Pound or mince the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a paste. Transfer the garlic to a small bowl.

• Add 1/4 cup cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper and whisk to combine. 

• Pour the dressing over the kale and toss very well (the dressing will be thick and need lots of tossing to coat the leaves).

• Let the salad sit for 5 minutes, then serve topped with the bread crumbs, additional cheese, and a drizzle of oil. 

~ Enjoy just a small portion of it as a side dish or eat a whole bowl of it when feeling vegetable deprived!

  

A few words to live by.

Super Tasty & Healthy Cookies!

As a subscriber to Tara Stiles youtube channel, I found this great super simple oatmeal, chocolate chip cookie recipe that I automatically fell in love with. The reason I did: it has no added sugar, butter, or eggs! The added bananas and chocolate make it just sweat enough to be a treat and the oatmeal, almond meal flour (I just used gluten free wheat flour), and coconut oil make it one of the healthiest cookie recipes I've come across. I tried them last night and have to admit they are my new favorite treat!

Ingredients: (Try to use all organic ingredients if you can, to make them even tastier and better for you!)

• 3 large bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 2/3 cup almond meal flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 6-7 oz chocolate 

(My alterations: First I didn't have baking powder in my cabinet so I decided not to use it, and I used organic gluten free wheat flour instead of almond meal. I also used half of the chocolate the recipe calls for and it was still super sweat and chocolate-y. My girlfriend said there was even too much chocolate for her, so use to your liking.) 

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Make sure to heat the coconut oil so it is in liquid form, not a solid
• Mash the bananas up
• Combine all the wet ingredients, then the dry ingredients in separate bowls
• Mix all ingredients together
• Place slightly flattened balls of cookie dough onto baking sheet
• Bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on how thick you make your cookies, mine only took 10 minutes)

Final product: (A horrible picture from my phone, but trust me these are DELICIOUS!)

Affirmations.

I am a strong believer in the power of affirmations.

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.
~Author unknown.

Recently my affirmations have shifted from focusing on Happiness to Success. The two are not the same thing to me, though for some it may be. I feel as though I have found or created a place in my life where I am truly happy and humble. I am in the best relationship I have been in thus far in life, we just made a year and three months. I live in a sweet little bungalow with my partner in a nice neighborhood with three parks in walking distance of us. I am in my last term of undergraduate work and graduating in the Spring. I enjoy cooking healthy meals, going out dancing, hiking, crafting, yoga and reading. Sounds pretty nice, eh?

Though I am in a happy place in my life, I still find that I am not creating all that I can for myself. I need to find a job that I enjoy and brings wealth into my life, do well in my current classes and finish the classes I have incompletes in, while continuing to create a bright future for myself. Another area in focus is my health. A constant battle of reminding myself just that there's almost nothing I enjoy better than when I actually take care of myself; exercising more and eating better. There is always room for improvement.

My current affirmations are:

I love working hard to accomplish my goals.
I enjoy learning everything that I can from the courses I am in.
I benefit greatly from completing my coursework with the best grade possible.
I am able to stay focused on what I need to when I need to.
I enjoy working out every day and being physically fit.
I will find a job that utilizes my strengths and brings wealth into my life.
I am creating wealth, abundance, and success in my life.

If you want to learn more about affirmations for success, check it out.

For lunch today: I sauteed onions and mushrooms in garlic and olive oil,  put it over cheese to melt it onto a whole wheat tortilla, added a lemon veganaise spread, and sliced tomato, avocado and lettuce to top it off. It doesn't look like much, but it literally melted in my mouth...

A bank called Time.

Imagine there is a bank account that credits your account each morning with 86,400 dollars. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening, the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent of course! Each of us has such a bank. Its name is time. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night, it writes... off as lost whatever of this you have failed to invest to a good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day, it opens a new account for you. Each night, it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposit, the loss is yours. There is no drawing against "tomorrow". You must live in the present on today's deposit. Invest it so as to get the utmost in health, happiness and success. The clock is running. Make the most of today!! -Unknown Author

I  recently read the above, on a friends status update on facebook that he had stolen from someone or somewhere else.  It had such purpose and meaning behind it that I had to share it!  

Everyone can not deny that one can never seem to have enough money, unless you are filthy rich I suppose. There have been 'Happiness studies' that indicate that no matter where one lies on the spectrum of how much wealth you have, the majority of people state that they would be happier with at least 10 percent more money that they currently have.  People in the world today are becoming greedier by the day it seems. No one likes to waste their money.  Though even if they do, it's likely that the next day or next time the bills are do they wish they hadn't bought that 50th pair of shoe or been a little too generous with their money to a friend. Money counts in the world today, but what about time?

It seems that people often value time less than they value money. Yes, the saying 'time is money' holds true in most cases and is still being recited all over the world, but the saying usually holds true in short term cases like a job. What happens when you first wake up in the morning before work or school though, and when you get home? How do you spend your weekends, your free time? It seems to me that people value their time less and less in the U.S.  You come home from work to watch your new series on t.v., check your email, facebook, twitter and blogs for a few hours, spend your weekends going out and drinking too much, or maybe you go to the beach to relax. Would you spend it the same if you knew it was going to be the last weekend you were to be alive? Would you spend time arguing with friends and loved ones? What about worrying about the future or your job as much? 

The answer is probably no right? So why do we spend our lives letting time pass by our eyes as though we have a thousand years to live. Even if you do live to be 100 years or older, wouldn't you want to die knowing that you spent every minute doing something that made you feel happy and content with who you are as a person and why God or the Universe created you?

Let every minute of this day be spent doing something that you will benefit from and which makes you happy!