Spring Cleaning!

My clothes are some of my favorite possessions. I use them as a means of expression, very similar to art. So, with some nagging from my Mom and some determination on my part, I chose to clean my closet over the weekend. With the high temps and sunny weather, I wanted to eliminate the clutter of my sweaters, scarves, and long pants.

To be honest, it took me a while to get into the mindset of organization with all the other thoughts going on in my head. However, once I got the ball rolling, I was all set. First, I dumped out out all of my tops, pajamas, and pants from the drawers. Then, I organized them by type, as well as specific color ranges. It was actually really fun! Mentally, I checked off the finished piles of clothes from the list that I keep in my mind. This made me feel in tune and controlled. After each pile was organized, I placed them in their corresponding drawers and hangers.

You'd be surprised how incredible organizing makes you feel! Not only physically, but mentally too. I looked through my drawers, and I couldn't believe what I accomplished. Not only did I arrange a massive amount of clothing, but I also did so in a short amount of time. The task forced me to realize that big things can be accomplished in a small amount of time, if I put my mind to it. Typically, my experiences with organization were always stressful. Probably because I've usually waited until last minute to clean out things like my closet. However, now I know that when you set goals for yourself and eliminate procrastination, organization can be a stress-free and enjoyable experience.

If you ever want any tips on organization or some cool means of doing so, check out Pinterest. They've got the best (and prettiest) ideas, like this one:

via http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinklovesbrown

I urge you all to take part in some sort of spring cleaning project. No matter the size of the task, I promise that you'll feel relieved!

Spring Spirit

Spring is approaching!

After a rough couple of weeks, I cannot even begin to explain how wonderful the weather outside feels to me right now. It's so refreshing to know that I can step outside without thousands of layers of gloves, hats, sweaters, and jackets. I love knowing that soon, it will be light out when I come home at night. And even more important, that soon it will be summer! If only it would come sooner...

So, for this week's post, I'd like to share my favorite things to do/to wear/to eat/to watch in the springtime.

Favorite Activity: Golf- I'm on the girl's golf team hereat Glenbrook North, and the spring time is finally when I get to back out on the course. I'm looking forward to it after a long time off.

via pioneerlocal.mycapture.com

Favorite Food: Fruit- I'm obsessed with fruit. There's never a time when my family is slacking off with the fruit bowl. Whether it's an apple or some strawberries, I just love it!

via http://pinterest.com/jessica_hindman/

Favorite Clothes: Sweaters-Sweater weather is possibly my favorite thing ever (I have way too many favorties, that's for sure.) But, I mean, the idea of not having to wear a puffy down coat makes me so happy, you don't even know!

via http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/choose_catalog.jsp

And lastly, my favorite video- Invisible Children is such an incredible organization that I am so happy to be a part of. I can already feel that this spring will bring an outstanding amount of support to STOP KONY!

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

I hope that my readers enjoyed this post! Please, take some time out to enjoy the beautiful weather. There's so much in life that is amazing, and life is way too short to take advantage of it! Celebrate the spring, your accomplishments, your favorite people, and things to do!

Live Life to the Fullest

Please listen & watch the following:

This past Sunday, my family encountered an unexpected loss of my grandmother. This past Sunday, I remember praying that things would go back to normal. Life is such an incredible and precious thing. I've learned, within the last 72 hours, that life is so short. Surely, this sounds cliché. But, it is the truth. I wish that I could say things have returned to normal. Instead, my family and I are dealing with how to create a new sense of normal for both my grandfather, as well as for the rest of us. We're trying to reach homeostasis, and I know that at some point we will get there.

For now, I'd like to use this post as a tribute to my grandmother. She was an English teacher, so I know that writing is the best possible way to reach her. My grandma and I were very close. To sum it up, she was the glue that held our family together. I have nothing but fond memories of her. From her laugh to her incredible cookies, she is the person that everyone wanted to be around. In fact, some of our family friends call her "the mother they wish they had." Still, I am waiting for her to call out from the kitchen that dinner is ready, and hug all of her grandchildren.

The reaction to the loss of a loved one is pretty surreal and indescribable. There is no concrete way to look at this subject, which is why I believe it is such a difficult topic to handle. However, I'd like to note that within this experience, I've found comfort in the fact that I know my grandmother has made a significant impact on our family's life. Thus, I cannot let death define her, because her life was so much more meaningful. Words cannot describe our love for her, nor can they describe her love for us.

My grandmother taught me not only how to live, but also how to die. I'll love her forever, and her spirit will be with me for the rest of my life. She has left a permanent impact on my identity.

To live in hearts we leave behind
Is not to die.
~Thomas Campbell, "Hallowed Ground"

Photo Credit: My mom (Sylvia Schwartz)

New Found Love: Pinterest!

Recently, I discovered an incredible website that allows you to organize your thoughts and interests via a virtual pinboard.The website is called Pinterest, and people use it as a means for organizing events, decorating, and discovering new fashions. I cannot begin to tell you how many new, fascinating things I've found on Pinterest. But let me warn you, it is ADDICTING. I've spent hours upon hours on this site, and I know many others that feel the same way.

My favorite thing about Pinterest is that you can follow people from all across the world. I follow people from places such as Manhattan, North Carolina, and even Sweden! In doing so, I've come across billions of recipes, beautiful clothes, and even instructions on how to do your hair. While the website can suck a lot of timeout of you, I can honestly say that I've learned a lot from it. Pinterest allows you to unleash your creative side, something that I don't have a chance to do often otherwise.

My hope is that with the sudden spark of interest in this website across the world, we'll be able to use it in school for projects. It's a great way to organize your thoughts and find inspiration from others. So, to all my readers, request an invite on Pinterest today and follow me athttp://pinterest.com/sas910/! I promise that you will not regret it.

The following are some pictures from my Pinterest pinboard:

via http://pinterest.com/annakarwowski/

via http://pinterest.com/alexandrajesko/

Add food coloring to your sparkling water! via http://pinterest.com/spingurl/

via http://pinterest.com/sbschwartzie/

...And the list goes on!

Music: Stereomood

"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." -Aldous Huxley

As I've probably mentioned before, I absolutely love music. To me, it's a way of expressing myself when words cannot. No matter what emotional state I'm in, music is always there for me. From Ingrid Michaelson to Kid Cudi, my taste in music is extremely diverse and depends on the mood I'm in. I recently discoveredan incredible website called Stereomood. The website nearly defines my idea of perfection because it provides music that best suits my emotions and specific activities.

On Stereomood, you'll find a long range of listed words, like "calm" or "raining." The website allows you to click on any word that suits you best at that particularmoment, and then selects a playlist for you. I find this so amazing because not only do I enjoy the music provided, but I've also discovered a massive amount of new artists and songs.

As the website quotes, "Behind every song there's always an emotion. We don't know why but maybe that's why we love music." The ambiguity of music is interesting to me because it means something different to every person. Thus, music is a great way to discover one's identity. I know that throughout this year, I've developed my own identity and music hasplayed a significant factor in this realization. I hope that through Stereomood not onlywill I be able to further this discovery, but my readers as well.

Playlist I'm currently listening to: "Studying"

• Evelyn by Goldmund
• Everything's Ok by Lenka
• Pine by Olan Mill
• ...And more! Check it out on the link above.

via http://www.stereomood.com/

My Addiction to Yoga

Hot Yoga, Yin Yoga, Vinyasa Flow...you name it, and I will guarantee you that I've tried almost every form of yoga known to man-kind. To say that I'm obsessed with yoga is an absolute understatement in my world. From the sound of the music to the refreshing towels that they hand out at the end of a sweaty class, it's thrilling to participate.

Why? Well, that's a good question. I think the obsession roots back to two years ago when a studio opened near my house. Breathe Yoga opened my eyes to a completely new kind of exercise. In fact, not only was I getting involved with fitness, but also with my mind. This idea was completely obscure to me prior to a few years ago. Double whammy! The fact that I could get both my brain and body in shape was incredible. Now, I'm addicted and there's no stopping me. I travel far and wide to try different studios, one of my new favorite's being CorePower Yoga. I love this studio because of the wide variety of classes offered. They provide classes such as Hot Yoga, a class done at 98 degrees, and Restorative Yoga, a meditative yoga. What I find so interesting about the yoga practice is how different each class can be. Despite the fact that they may be called the same name, each instructor provides new and unique opportunities. In doing so, I never get bored!

With final exams coming, I suggest my readers to participate in yoga. It's truly fascinating what just one class can do to you, and I promise that you will not be disappointed. There are numerous studies around that I can recommend. They are as follows:

Breathe Yoga, Glencoe

CorePower Yoga, Skokie

2Hot Yoga, Deerfield

Niyama Yoga, Wilmette

Or, if you don't have time check out this website which will allow you to receive the meditative aspect of yoga: The Quiet Place

Via chicagobeautyreview.tumblr.com

Namaste.

Jubilee Project: 50 People, 1 Question

via The Jubilee Project

What does this video mean to me?
This video really hit home for me, especially since 2012 is right around the corner. This video provoked me because of the amount of people that said they do not hold regrets. You see, as I started to watch this video, I thought the opposite. I was positive that I was in for 6:35 of stories; life stories that would teach me what not to do. Looking back, I can't believe that I thought this way. I asked myself afterward, "Why would you want to listen to 6 minutes of negativity, do you enjoy hearing about other people's problems?" Quickly, I responded "no." However, I do believe that by evaluating my response, I learned more about myself and society. I believe that I (a piece of society) focus too much on the negative. I constantly tell myself things like, "Don't fail," or "don't forget to..." Instead of saying things like "Pass," or "Remember to..." Surely these are minor things, but they definitely add up. Subconsciously, I hoped that this video would provide the same negative thoughts on what not to do.

What am I going to do?
There's no possible way for me to get rid of all the negative thoughts that stir in my head. However, as my New Year's resolution, I want to speak more positively about myself and others. I believe that if I try to do something more, rather than focus on not doing something, or doing it less, I will produce better results. I hope that this video, as well as my insight, made all of my readers think about themselves, their New Year's resolution, or anything else profound.

Also...

Be sure to watch more videos from The Jubilee Project! Every video that they post gives money to specific charities for a certain amount of views the video receives.