FURY Friday || BEST QUICK WORKOUT - Kettlebell Swing

Oh FURY! I have no time to go to the gym to get any kind of decent workout in. What do I do? Well let me tell you, I have the key. And it takes less time to do than it takes me to take my morning poop. Yup. 

The exercise in question is the Russian Kettlebell Swing. Now, before you get on me for not being patriotic and not recommending the American Kettlebell Swing, there is a key reason why I recommend the Russian version first: SAFETY. It’s easier to get hurt during the movement of the American version and if you don’t watch the weight you are using and your form, you can hurtskie the old shoulders and back. So we’ll can the American Kettlebell Swing the more awesome, expert mode version that you can get to after you master the Russian Kettlebell Swing beginner mode. Fair?

OK. Steps are a good idea:

1) Stand with feet shoulder width apart.

2) Pick up Kettlebell from between your feet. It should be at mid-foot. DON’T ARCH YOUR BACK. SQWAT DOWN TO PICK IT UP. For the sake of simplicity this time, use both hands to pick up the weight.

3) Swing the weight back behind your butt, bending your knees and pushing your hips out backward. DON’T ROUND YOUR BACK. KEEP THAT BACK STRAIGHT AS A PLANK.

4) Using your hips and butt cheeks, push the weight forward, clenching your butt cheeks as you push that weight through your body. Keep your core tight and your back straight.

5) At the top of the swing, your arms should be at perpendicular with your body. That means they should be straight out in front of you for those not gifted with geometry skills. 

6) Let the weight fall back between your legs, swinging behind you just like it did in step 3.

7) Rinse and repeat steps 3-6

You can get away with doing 4 sets of 8-10 reps and feel the burn. Or you can be like The Rock and do 5 sets of 20. Most males can get a challenge out of 30-40lb weight and females would feel the same with about 15-25lb, but you may want to see if there’s a sports store close by that has the weights for you to try. Then check out Amazon.com because they usually have the weights for some kind of deal.

CAP Barbell 20 -Pounds Kettlebell -- I purchased a 45lb of this brand just recently.

This workout is so great because it literally works out everything in your body. There are many variations to this workout that you can do to get all kinds of other conditioning going as well. But I’m going to emphasize on the glutes, legs, and back here. It makes all of that business strong. And ladies, this will make your booty look on point. And fellas, this will make your booty look on point. There are many variations to this workout that you can do to get all kinds of other conditioning going as well.

Keep grinding. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Stay persistent and you will attain greatness.

-FURY  

Motivational Monday || Belated Father's Day reflections

"My father didn't tell me how to live, he lived and let me watch him do it." -- Clarence B. Kelland

Yesterday was father's day, as I'm sure many of you realized :). And I, like many of you, enjoyed some much-needed family time, ultimately concluding with a long drive home to San Diego from LA. Ok, so the drive is not that long, but it was late, and I was tired...

I'm not going to lie, my Monday dragged at work and I almost forgot about my post for today! So I apologize if this is a little shorter and not as motivational. I just wanted to reflect on father's day for a bit :). See.. a cool thing happened this year on Father's day: the Dodgers were playing! And my sisters and I got to sit with my dad to watch the game on tv!

Ok so the Dodgers play just about every Sunday during the baseball season; that part isn't so magical. What was kinda magical, was that their game was being played... at home (in LA)... and it was being televised on ESPN!!! Now, as most Dodger fans know, if you don't have Time Warner Cable, then you are not going to catch all the dodger action (much to the dismay of many fans... my family included). So imagine my family's surprise when we hear that the game will be on ESPN... which my family can access, because they have the Dish network! It was truly a little father's day miracle!

The reason I see this as a little magical happening, is because watching baseball... specifically the Dodgers-- is something I uniquely associate with my dad. I remember very fondly spending hot summer days sitting in front of the TV, with big ol' slices of watermelon, while the fans were blowing hot air in our faces and the Boys in blue playing America's favorite pastime on the television (with Vin Scully announcing of course). When I think of happy times, I often go to these memories because at least while the game was on, there wasn't a care in the world. And trust me, there was a lot to care about. I grew up in a rough part of town; my house and street often getting caught up in the cross-fire with drive-by shootings between rival gangs. Times were tough. But the minute the game came on, my dad would call us all to the living room and he'd tell us who the team was up against. This is where I learned about baseball, this is where I fell in love with baseball and it was all thanks to my dad.

Clarence B. Kelland's quote above reminds me so much of my dad because he didn't try hard to be a good dad, he just was! He Just was because he lived (lives!) genuinely and his values just permeate his little jokes and conversations about simple things, like baseball. I could go on and on about what my dad has taught me and how special he is and how grateful I am to have him as a dad, but I did all that with him... yesterday. Today for me, was about reflecting on a little piece of magic that happened this father's day, thanks to the Dodgers and ESPN :).

I hope that you had a chance to spend some quality time with your fathers, father-figures, or moms who have been both father and mother to you! Til next time...

Be happy,  live happy!
Monica

Tinker Thursday || DIY: Create Your Own Happiness

Hello friends! It's Tinker Thursday again! I'm finally done with my first summer course and boy was it a doozy. I'm still attempting to catch up on sleep so hopefully these next few weeks do the trick. I'll be starting up again in about a month, so I'm definitely going to take advantage of this time off. 

This week, I decided to change it up a little and bend my own rules. As mentioned in my introductory post, if you can "do-it-yourself", it's fair game for Tinker Thursday. I'm going to continue with the theme of "Choosing Happiness" from Monica's Motivational Monday last week, and offer my tips and suggestions to creating your own happiness. 

Smile and Laugh

Yes. My first tip for creating your own happiness is to smile. We've all heard of the benefits of smiling: it releases endorphins which can help us feel happy and less stressed, an increase in endorphins decreases cortisol, etc etc. Laughing helps release emotions that you might have built up, whether good or bad. I know when I'm stressed out, I find myself laughing and I instantly feel better, even if it's just temporary. I can go on and on about the importance of smiling and laughing, but the most important reason (at least, in my opinion) is because it's contagious. What's better than seeing someone else smile or hearing someone else laugh because of pure happiness? 

Breathe

I know, yet another tip that should seem pretty obvious, right? I can't tell you how many times I found myself so stressed and tense that I nearly forgot to breathe. When things are starting to feel a bit overwhelming, step back and take a few deep breaths. Oftentimes, I take a deep breath and just yell as I exhale. It feels really nice to let those emotions out. 

Think of a Wonderful Thought! (alternatively titled, "Look on the Bright Side") 

Not only is this a quote from Peter Pan, but I remind myself of this every time I am in a slump and just feeling very negative about things. It takes a lot of effort to turn something negative into a positive, but it can be done. Wouldn't you rather be thinking about things that make you smile or feel good? 

Unfortunately, we can't always find a way to twist a certain negative situation or feeling into something more positive. Most of the time this is done in retrospect, but at least from then on you'll have a positive correlation to that memory!

In the event of trying to avoid making this a "how to de-stress" post, I'm going to fire off a few more suggestions:

Make your all-time favorite meal/comfort food. You know how good it feels to sit down and eat your absolute favorite meal. Think about how much more satisfying said meal would be if you made it yourself? You'd be enjoying the fruits of your labor and feeling good about your culinary skills. 

Talk to a friend or family member you haven't spoken to in a while. If you're close to that person, chances are you'll have a lot to catch up on. Share the latest news in your life. Talk about plans you might have in the near future. Make plans together! It's always nice to see a familiar face and spend quality time together. 

Binge watch your favorite TV show(s). My Hulu subscription keeps renewing and I currently don't have any new shows to watch. I've re-started Parks and Recreation from the first season, and in case you were wondering, yes, it's still pretty funny. Watch a show you know will make you laugh or feel good. Binge watching is always so satisfying, until you run out of episodes to watch. But hopefully by then, you'll be feeling happy enough to do something else. 

Put on your favorite playlist and dance like no one is watching! Sing to your heart's content, and simply just have fun with it! Slide around your hardwood floors aka Risky Business, sing into your soup ladle, and jump around (safely, of course). You'll get your blood pumping and get a nice cardio workout out of it as well. 

Think of a new project or challenge you've been wanting to do... and just do it. Want to learn how to knit? Purchase a ball of yarn and knitting needles at Michael's (with one of their coupons, of course). Want to bake a cake? Let's head on over to the grocery store and get what we need. Find a new workout regimen that looks promising? Put on your workout gear and go for it! You'll feel so wonderful knowing you started AND finished something you've been meaning to try. And if you're wondering, you can do it and I believe in you 150%!

Take advantage of free events in your local community (especially during the summer)! I know San Diego has a ton of things to do for little to no cost. We have a handful of beaches and wonderful hiking grounds. Balboa Park is an amazing place to just hang out and you can check out their many museums. Residents receive free admission to a select group of museums every Tuesday. Be sure to check your local community for any fun events that might be going on. San Diegans, be sure to check out the San Diego Reader. This past week in particular highlighted "Fun Things to Do: From Beach to Backcountry". 

I could go on and on with more suggestions, but everything will eventually start sounding the same. The key takeaway from today's post is to figure out what makes you happy. We all have at least one thing that never fails to put a smile on our face. Whether it's cooking or dancing or even cleaning the house, find something that brings you joy. You know yourself better than anyone else, so think of these tips and suggestions as just that: suggestions. There is no set list of "this is what you need to do to be happy". 

It's important to remember that it's okay to put your happiness as a priority. It's essential for your overall, long-term health, and it just feels way better than being sad all the time, right? :)

Take care, and I'll see you in two weeks!

xo, rox

Wildcard Wednesday || LeBron James...the Best of All-Time?

Hello everyone and thank you for stopping by for another edition of Wildcard Wednesday! With the NBA Finals officially in the books, I would like to add my own opinion on the whole LeBron James Best of All-Time debate. Before I get to that, I would like to congratulate the Golden State Warriors for their outstanding season. One of the best offenses we have seen in recent memory combined with a stingy defense resulted in the ultimate prize.

Let's start off by saying that I absolutely respect LeBron James as a basketball player. He is an absolute beast and he is clearly the best basketball player on this planet. With his 6'8" 250 lb. frame, LeBron can play all positions on the floor. A lot of analysts like to say that he is a small forward in a point guard's body. This also refers that LeBron is more like Magic Johnson than Michael Jordan just because of his pass-first mentality to find his teammates for a high percentage shot. 

Magic and Mike are on a lot of peoples proverbial "Mount Rushmore of Basketball" and despite LeBron still having several years left to play in the NBA before he hangs it up, people are already looking to carve his face on the mountain. Does LeBron James deserve such praise? Let's get to the arguments.

LEBRON = HYPE

Ever since LeBron James was a sophomore in high school, everyone wanted to see him play. By his junior year, LBJ was already considered "the best high school basketball in America". The hype was so huge, Sports Illustrated declared LBJ to be "The Chosen One"...before he even stepped on an NBA court. He graduated high school as one the most hyped basketball players ever and I would assume that the Cleveland Cavaliers had no hesitation selecting him with the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. On his NBA debut versus the Sacramento Kings, LeBron recorded 25 points and during his Rookie of the Year campaign LeBron became the youngest in NBA history to score at least 40 points. The rest is pretty much history in the making. The hype was real. Sports Illustrated called it right.

The thing about LeBron's career is that whenever he posts outrageous numbers like he is doing during the 2015 NBA Finals, it's what we expect him to do. Oh, LeBron James had a 40pt-11ast-14rb game. That's it? A player of his size and freak athletic ability, LBJ can will himself to score in the paint every single time. If he wanted to, he could score 50 a night, but he knows that's not healthy for his basketball team. It's what we expect out of him because we've set high standards for him ever since he got drafted. 

Let me know end this argument with this.

If Michael Jordan dominated the 90's with a 6'6" 195 lb. frame, went 6 for 6 in the NBA Finals, never played a game 7 in the NBA Finals, AND he probably could've gotten more rings if he didn't retire to play baseball in 1994...

THEN, if you're LeBron James with a 6'8" 250 pounds and has the tendency to form super-teams in order to win championships, shouldn't you be UNSTOPPABLE?

Before you say anything about the injuries to Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving would have created a different outcome for this series. I want to point out that Kevin Love's shooting ability would play favor to GSW's tempo. Kevin Love's injury opened up Tristan Thompson's play in the point and created matchup problems for the Warrior's smaller lineups. The impact of Irving's injury was probably a bigger factor than Love's solely because it left LBJ to be the facilitator for the remainder of the series and whenever LeBron tried to pass the ball around, his teammates played hot potato and gave it right back. This of course led to a stagnant offense with more isolations and less ball movement...and this fact.

Photo Credit: NBA on ESPN

 That's a story for another day though.

BACK TO MY ARGUMENTS.

LEBRON TOOK HIS TALENTS TO SOUTH BEACH

In the NBA, you hear the phrase "ball don't lie" a lot, especially when it comes to a shooter who was fouled, but not according to the defender. When the shooter misses the first free throw, saying "ball don't lie" is kind of like saying "heh, karma b***h". In 2010, LBJ made "The Decision" to form a super-team with 2003 draft buddies Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade. The so-called King James reigned supreme in Miami for 4 years and led the team to 4 straight finals appearances....and only walked away with 2 rings. Some would consider it an accomplishment, others would say it's not good enough. When the Heat lost that first finals appearance versus the Dallas Mavericks, I imagine a lot of LeBron haters chanting "ball don't lie" (including myself) because after the tremendous effort of the Miami super-team, it still wasn't good enough against Dirk and company.

After losing game 1 to the Thunder in the 2012 NBA Finals, James led the Heat to the team's 2nd NBA championship with 4 straight wins. With the Spurs up 3-2 in a thrilling 2013 NBA Finals, the Heat came up with a miracle 3-pointer by Ray Allen to force OT in game 6 and won the game to tie the series. In game 7, Mr. Fundamental (Tim Duncan) had the 2 opportunities to tie the game with less a minute to go, but failed. LeBron James capitalized on the following possession with a jump-shot which sealed the victory and secured back-to-back championships for the Heat. In 2014, the Spurs and Heat met for a Finals rematch and the Spurs showed that they were the better overall team winning the championship in 5 games.

LeBron James' career will always be tainted with the fact that he left the team that drafted him in order to form a super-team to win a couple of championships before coming back home. If you look at the all-time greats, most of them were able to play for one team and still win championships: Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Bill Russell, and Jerry West. I wanted to add Michael Jordan to this list, but MJ had a 2-year stint with the Washington Wizards (with no playoff appearances) before he retired from the game for a 3rd time.

The Miami Heat pretty much had LeBron James on a 4-year rental period. Appeared in 4 straight Finals and got 2 championships. LBJ left South Beach along with a bandwagon of his followers and came back home to Cleveland to form another super-team with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. The 2015 Cavaliers have been plagued with injuries (Kevin Love - shoulder and Kyrie Irving - knee) and now it closely mirrors the Cavs teams LeBron has led prior to his departure to Miami. LBJ being the core of the offense distributing the ball as a point-forward.

LEBRON JAMES IS THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Before LBJ went to Miami
2009-2010 Cavaliers Record - 61-21 (best in the Eastern Conference)
2009-2010 Heat Record - 47-35 (5th in the Eastern Conference)

After LBJ went to Miami
2010-2011 Cavaliers Record - 19-63 (worst in the Eastern Conference)
2010-2011 Heat Record - 58-24 (2nd in the Eastern Conference)

Is it coincidence that the Cleveland Cavaliers went from best to worst in one year AFTER LeBron James left? I don't think so. Let's look at this year.

Before LBJ went back to Cleveland
2013-2014 Cavaliers Record - 33-49 (10th in the East)
2013-2014 Heat Record - 54-28 (2nd in the East)

After LBJ went back to Cleveland
2014-2015 Cavaliers Record - 53-29 (2nd in the East)
2014-2015 Heat Record - 37-45 (10th in the East)

It's like they switched places huh?

How valuable in LeBron James? I would bet $100 that if LeBron left Cleveland after this season and played for the Minnesota Timberwolves (who had a 16-66 record this 2014-2015 season), they would automatically win 50-games and be in playoff contention. That just shows how good he is to make everyone around him better.

LeBron is so good that he is almost expected to come out with a triple-double every night. His stats don't lie. LeBron James in the only player in NBA history to average at least 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists for his career. WOW... if that doesn't blow your mind and convince you that he is the best player in the world right now... I don't think you enjoy the game of basketball.

With the NBA Finals over, I would like to add this amazing stat as well

Wait what...? Points...assists...AND rebounds for BOTH TEAMS?! Jimmy Crickets...

LEBRON HAS STAYED IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE
Since 1998 (the last year Michael Jordan played for the Bulls) the Western Conference has dominated the NBA with multiple championship appearances by the LA Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks (11 championships out of 16 years for the West). This is the first time since 1999 that the NBA finals hasn't featured either Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan or Dwayne Wade.

In past several years, the Western Conference has featured teams with more than 42 wins at the 8th seed. On the other hand, the Eastern Conference has featured playoff teams under 0.500 multiple times while the 9th and 10th seeds for the Western Conference had a better record.

For a little refresher, the NBA schedule is formatted in the following way:

• 4 games against the other 4 division opponents (16 games)
• 4 games against 6 (out-of-division) conference opponents (24 games)
• 3 games against remaining 4 conference teams (12)
• 2 games against teams in the opposing conference (30)

This means that majority of the games LeBron James has played have been against a weaker Eastern Conference (52 out of 82 games). Easier games equals a better conference record which equals an easier road to the NBA finals. Hence, LeBron James' 5 straight appearances. What if LBJ played in the Western Conference for his career? How decorated would his career be then if he played 63% of his games against more quality opponents?

CLOSING STATEMENTS

If you're familiar with football, LeBron James can closely be compared to Peyton Manning in the NFL when it comes to regular season numbers and playoff success. Both players have posted records in both their sports during the regular season, but their playoff success can be considered mediocre with the high expectations set for them.

LeBron: 10 straight playoff appearances since 2006. 5 straight finals appearances since 2011 (4 with Miami and 1 with Cleveland) 2-4 and so far in the Finals.

Photo Credit: NBA on ESPN

Peyton: 14 playoff appearances since 1999. 11 with Indy and 3 with Denver. 9 appearances eliminated in the 1st game. 3 Superbowl appearances and only 1 championship. Just like LeBron playing in the Eastern Conference, Peyton has had the benefit to play in mediocre divisions. The AFC South when he played in Indianapolis and the AFC West where he is currently playing for the Broncos.

It's a shame that the media puts so much pressure not just on LeBron James, but on professional players to produce in their sport. In the end, they are still human. It was the media (specifically Sports Illustrated) that claimed LeBron James to be "The Chosen One" before he even started an NBA game. Now, all the pressure is on King James to dethrone the great Michael Jordan and his 6 rings.

Let's face it. LeBron is starting to reach the back-end of his career. In the past 8 years, he has participated in 6 NBA Finals and 2 gold-medal Olympic runs. That's a lot of basketball miles put onto a person's body over time. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if LBJ doesn't win another title before he retires. If he walks away from the game with only 2 rings, will that still make him the best of all-time? Only time will tell. Maybe this is the end of the super-team era. What the Golden State Warriors showed us for this year's NBA Finals is that even if you have the best basketball player on the planet...the best team will always be greater than the best player.

Trendy Tuesday || En route to San Diego!

I'm sitting at my gate waiting to board my plane at 3:35, which means this is going to look a little bland for awhile.  I'm sure you know what traveling is like and I'm feeling the stress and anxiety of it, which isn't much of a surprise to me. I will be updating this later tonight when I'm relaxed and at ease. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but don't worry, I will be posting today :)

See you in a few hours, San Diego! I cannot wait to be on holibobs, as Zoella likes to call it.

--

Fail on my part for not updating yesterday... Let's just say 20 minutes into my trip we were stopped on the side of the road searching up phone numbers to various tow truck companies.

Don't worry, all is well and I am now resting comfortably in Roxanne's San Diegan abode. As I was brainstorming ideas for what I wanted to blog about this week, it hit me that I would be traveling and I always love watching YouTube videos or reading blog posts about what others pack in their makeup bag when traveling.

So that is what I will be doing, because I'm sure you're all curious to know... What I have in my travel makeup bag and how I go about choosing what products to bring and how I stow them in my makeup bag.

Also, keep your eyes peeled for a more-detailed What's In My Travel Makeup Bag video on my YouTube channel in the near future ;)

When sitting down and beginning to rummage through all of my makeup, I found it easiest to pack things in the order of how I do my makeup on an everyday basis. So I got my hands on a few Ziploc baggies and went to town.

*Each category was placed in a Ziploc bag*
1. The Base - Since I haven't ventured into the world of foundation yet, I chose to bring my favorite primer, BB cream, concealer and powder. I have normal-to-dry skin, so I only use powder wherever I use concealer.
2. Cheeks & Contour - Bronzer is my life and easily my favorite part of doing my makeup, so you already know I packed some. Then I packed an everyday, natural looking blush.
3. Eyes & Brows - This means all four tubes of mascara since I couldn't decide on one... My favorite eyebrow pencil/gel, eyelash curler, tweezers.
4. Lips - Rose salve is a must. And staying true to my nature, several types of pinky-nude lipsticks/glosses I thought I would get a use out of.
5. Brushes - Probably the most problematic for me, since I wanted to bring every brush I own. I narrowed it down to my beauty blender, powder brush, blush brush, contour brush, concealer brush, eyebrow spooly... You know, the essentials.

Once I had everything in their appropriate Ziploc bags, I tucked them away into my trusty makeup bag and threw it into my suitcase!

It's as easy as that :)

Make sure to stop by my YouTube channel (youtube.com/sharmainemiranda) if you're interested in seeing the products I've brought with me on holiday!

Thank you for being you and I'll talk to you soon!

Sharmaine

Fury Friday || SLEEP

So. Let me tell you, my down trodden, sleepy, restless worker bees about why you need to get rest. Not just like a nap. But some good, quality sleep. The kind of sleep that you go "Damn, I slept how long?" 

Now you may be thinking, "Why is this guy telling me about sleep? I thought he was going to get me SWOLE." Listen people, sleep is a huge contributing factor  to weight loss! I bet you didn't know that. BOOM. Drop the mic. "But aren't I just supposed to be working out harder and eating less?" Yes and no. You should be working out like your life depeneds on it. You should be hitting failure to help promote growth and stimulate your muscles and help burn off that pesky fat that's laying around your body. AND you shouldn't be eating LESS (well maybe depending on how much you actually eat) but you should be eating more QUALITY. 

So then why sleep? Bruh, most of your muscle recovery happens at night. What does that mean for you? Gains. Ideally you want to properly nutrition so that when you are sleeping your body is properly able to repair it's damaged cells with those crucial delicious building blocks you ingested and divested during the day.

To reap said benefits, you probably want to sleep more than 6 hours a night. Why? To get that REM sleep. That deep. Long. Special. Sleep. OF COURSE THO people have different bodies and need different amounts of sleep, but you gotta decide that. I ain't your momma.

To do this too you can take a few EASY STEPS. 1) make sure your room is dark as f*ck. buy some black out curtains. Know why you feel so rested when you go on vacation and stay in hotels? They got the blackout curtains baby. They put you in a sleep cave. 2) move the electronics out of the bedroom! So here's the real. All the screens you have around you (TV, iPad, laptop, PHONE) all emit light, even if you're looking at it in the dark. That light disrupts your melatonin secretion (sleep juice from your body) and makes you stay awake or keeps you from getting that deeeeeeep sleep. Using an iPad up to 2 hours before you sleep can seriously jack up your sleep cycles and melatonin secretion, so much so that it would be like you were in bright day light in the middle of the day. So hey, read a book instead. Mental sweat. 3) have a good time with a special someone ;) So really though all kinds of chemicals secrete into your body after the big O in high levels and they all have to do with either sleep or healing the body. So handle it.  Which leads me to the last point: only sleep and sex in the bedroom. That's why it's a BEDroon and not a theater, office, or ballpark.

Sleep well my friends.

Best,

-FURY 

Wildcard Wednesday || Zombie Outbreak in LA

Greetings everyone and thanks for stopping by for another edition of Wildcard Wednesday! It's funny because I mentioned on my last blog that I would try to post on a weekly basis since there's so many things to talk about for Wildcard Wednesdays, but I took some time off and had some fun family activities last week.

Alrighty, let's get started.

We all ask ourselves the question. Are you prepared for a zombie apocalypse? Where would you go? Who would you try to connect with first? What's your desired weapon? Do you think you would make it a week? Would be able to kill a loved one who turned? Although they are all hypothetical, it will always remain in the back of our heads if we as a society are mentally and/or physically prepared for a zombie apocalypse.

If Hollywood's representation of zombies are what we would face, then I believe that humanity stands a chance. We've watched enough movies, seen TV shows, or even read comics to know more than enough on how to survive a zombie apocalypse. Aim for the head. Use silent weapons because noise attracts them. Know how to live life without electricity or even running wate. AVOID POWER TRIPPING. If we can trust that people won't turn into the Governor or Negan, then I think we'll be okay.

I bring all of this up because the Walking Dead universe is finally expanding to the West Coast (Los Angeles if you want to be specific). What's even more interesting is that they are bringing it back all the way to the origins of the apocalypse. Just in case you haven't watched The Walking Dead or even read the comics, the story of the Walking Dead is very gray on how it all happened. The main character, Rick Grimes, falls into a coma. When he wakes up in the hospital, the whole place has already fallen apart. Blood everywhere and when he walks out of the hospital you can see that even the military couldn't hold down the catastrophe.

Fear the Walking Dead will be premiering August 2015 and it has gotten me excited to see an entirely different point of view. In recent reports, Robert Kirkman has stated the the new spin-off will "stay out of the woods". Since most of the show has been centered around the rural parts of Georgia, it's obviously a complete turnaround looking to the urban areas of Los Angeles. We saw a glimpse of how downtown Atlanta turned out. Imagine what downtown Los Angeles will be...DAMN.

Another point of view that will capture audiences is seeing families fight to find each other and stay together in the beginning of this madness, but through their journey their loved ones will become the undead. The Walking Dead has done a really good job connecting with their audience emotionally since the show is filled with characters with tremendous back-stories. The use of flashbacks tells us their stories and how they got to where they are now gave us glimpses of the early days of the apocalypse, but now we'll be able to get a full season of the origins that ended civilization.

I like how in the Walking Dead universe they don't mention the word zombie. They are living in an alternate world outside the "living dead" bubble. This is key because the chaos following a viral outbreak through the city of angels is unknown to our world. Any kind of stories to link to a zombie apocalypse, our society will have that urge to prepare ourselves for that outcome. In Fear the Walking Dead, there will be those few people who will stir up paranoia and concern while most of the Los Angeles community will ignore the chatter because it seems like nonsense to them. It will be entertaining and frightening to see it all unfold.

If you haven't watched the Walking Dead or haven't caught up with the show, there's plenty of time to do so since season 6 premieres in October. However, I'm assuming that you won't even need to watch the series in order to enjoy Fear the Walking Dead.

Catch ya later!

Motivational Monday || Choosing Happiness

Today’s quote comes to us from the always wise Voltaire and goes alittle something like this:

Yes that’s right folks, we are talking Happiness today! Happiness… this concept is talked about everywhere nowadays. From music, to movies, to pop culture. And it seems like its never been more important than now.

We are living longer than at any other time in our society’s history, yet we are constantly reminded that life is short and things can change in an instant, so we are told to live life fully and happily.

I’d like to think there is also this increased awareness that happiness is increasingly important to invest in and that there are lots of benefits to seeking out happiness in your life. The notion of finding what makes you happy in and of itself isn’t new. But people are looking at happiness in new ways, ways that help with things like self-esteem, finding life’s purpose, heck, even bringing you better health! And sure there is a lot of scientific research I can cite here to back me up, but I wont bore you with that today.

I recently started reading a book by Gretchin Rubin called The Happiness Project. I am only a couple chapters in, but its been a great read so far and I am looking forward to someday starting my own “Happiness Project”.  She talks about happiness in a way that is so simple, yet so profound. This book has served as a sort of reminder to live simply, live happily and to never stop seeking out that which makes you happy because there are so many benefits that come with it like reduced stress, a better outlook on life, and improved relationships. When you are happy, you look better, feel better, and people are drawn to you; why? Because happiness can be contagious!

Think about the last time you smiled or felt even slightly happy. Where were you and what were you doing?  How did you feel (besides happy) and what sort of mental state were you in? This instance doesn’t have to be an elaborate or momentous occasion in your life. For me, the last time I felt genuinely happy was last night, while at church. Although going to church does generally bring me happiness and a personal closeness with the man upstairs, this time it was because of a little baby a few pews in front of me. She couldn’t have been more than 9 or 10 months old and she had the biggest smile and most precious laugh! I could’ve sat and stared and listened to her all day because it just made me happy (… actually I’m pretty sure about 98% of my attention was on her the entire time I was at church lol)! She didn’t interact with me but I saw beauty and life and happiness in this innocent little child, which in turn brought me, a total stranger, happiness!  The truth is, I do believe there are benefits in finding your own personal happiness because I’ve experienced them and I’m pretty sure you have too at some point in your life! 

It may not be crystal clear what it is that brings true happiness to our lives (newsflash: buying a new pair of shoes is not true happiness... maybe buying them on sale though! Just kidding :) ), but many of us (myself included) understand that it involves digging a little deeper and going beneath the surface. It also can mean that happiness doesn’t necessarily come from one thing or area of our lives. We can feel happy through a variety of activities or events or interactions.

So what do we do? Where do we start? I truly believe that the importance does not lie in what we do, but rather just getting up to do something! Trying a new hobby, picking up a new skill, or reaching out to meet new people are great ways to start discovering ways to bring happiness into our lives. For me, embarking on this blog collaborative journey with the rest of the gang has definitely brought me some unexpected happiness and I am truly grateful for that!

Going back to Voltaire’s quote, I believe its not the action of choosing to feel happy over, say, grumpy, or tired; but rather, it is the choice to engage in, or seek out that which makes you happy in order to fill your life with positive things and improved well-being. So bottom line—choose happiness, or choose to take on activities that bring you happiness, because this world needs more happy people, happy people that feel their best! With that said, I hope that my new sign-off will be a simple reminder to always choose happy for your life. If you have any examples of things that bring you happiness or tips on finding happiness in your life, shoot me a message or comment below, I’d love to hear from you! Until next time…

Be happy, live happy!

Monica  

Tinker Thursday || Planner Decorating Starter Kit

Hello friends! I had this awesome blog post planned for this week, but I mistakenly thought taking a 3 unit class in 3 weeks was the best idea ever. I have never been so swamped in my life. Readings upon readings upon papers upon projects upon readings. Did I mention readings?

Anyway, that should not be an excuse, but I’m using it as one this week. I’ll be done with this course next week, so I should be back to regular postings where I actually attempt a project. 

For this week, I decided to share my planner decorating essentials. I don’t know if I’m just late to the game, but there appears to be this sudden phenomenon in planner decorating. I usually think of planners as simply a place to jot down any assignments, meetings, bills due, or appointments you might have. Prior to last fall, I never thought to spend money on things to decorate a booklet I would be rendered useless once complete.

I have fallen victim. Here are my essentials.

WASHI TAPE. When I first saw washi tape, I wasn’t quite sure what its intended use was. I probably still don’t, but I have found them very useful in planner decorating. They come in different designs and sizes. I usually buy mine from Target or Michaels. I have seen really affordable ones at Walmart, but I have noticed they are not typical washi tape quality, but for less than a dollar, it might be worth a shot! You have been warned.

Quick link on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=washi+tape

STICKERS. I’m a sucker for stickers, especially cute, seasonal ones. Target and Michael’s have a great array of stickers. Etsy also has a wide range of stickers specifically for planners! I have not bought any (yet), but they all look super cute. You can have little reminder stickers that let you know when your bills are due, when your next exam is, or even place a bunch of stickers as accents. No sample link here, but you all know what stickers look like, right? :) 

Here’s a link anyway: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=stickers

COLORFUL PENS THAT DO NOT BLEED. This is crucial, especially if you have a planner with really thin paper. I like the Sharpie Pens a lot for planner decorating. I’m thinking this is pretty self-explanatory. You need some sort of writing utensil!

Sharpie Pens: http://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-Fine-Point-Colored-1742662/dp/B001CRYXHG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433390992&sr=8-1&keywords=non+bleeding+pens&pebp=1433390998271&perid=0V3VK1E1CW4XNE3P0MDF

POST IT/STICKY NOTES. I can’t begin to tell you how often Post-Its save my life. Sometimes there’s just a lot going on and you run out of space to write! Post-Its make it easy for me to add onto my planner. I honestly don’t know what else to say about Post-Its. If you don’t want to use them for your planner, you can use them for so many other things.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Post-it-686-OKIT-Post-it%C2%AE-Scotch%C2%AE-Organization/dp/B00M9RC5Q4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_21_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1BHQP46MFWDG3PH3WRJ5

Of course, there are other items you can use to jazz up your planner. Paperclips, ribbons, die-cuts, planner cards, stamps, etc. The list is endless. These are just the things I think are essential in at least getting started. I might do a blog post on how I decorate my planner, but it won’t be until I purchase a new one. I can’t decide which one to invest in just yet.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this post. I’m sorry it’s very lackluster; I wasn’t expecting school to take up this much of my time. See you in a few weeks with another post!

xo, Rox

Trendy Tuesday || My latest obsession...

Okay, so we all have that one staple that wins our heart time and time again. So much that whenever we're out shopping we say "I don't need another one of these," but we end up buying it anyways. Some of us may regret it afterwards, but if you're anything like me, you laugh because you know you didn't need it, but you're totally happy and stoked to add to your collection.

And if you disagree with my last statement, you're lying to yourself and lying isn't good.

Personally, I believe in doing things that make you happy and treating yourself. This is totally a dangerous combination - but we only have one life, so why not make the most of it? Now this isn't to say I'm a material girl who cares solely about all things materialistic, but when your passion is for fashion, beauty and the latest trends, materialistic ideas and views is just what ends up happening.

Now I know you want me to cut to the chase because all of this build-up is driving you nuts, so I'll tell you: I'm obsessed with sunglasses.

I seriously can't get enough. They're the perfect outfit completer. I keep telling myself I don't need another pair because honestly, I don't. My collection is rather large, I can't fit another pair into my desk drawer because if I tried, it wouldn't shut. When you're in college and live in a different city than your family and a different room than the one you grew up in, you don't have much space to scatter your belongings, so my sunnies call my desk drawer "home."

I justify in my head that I need different styles to go with different outfits. Don't worry, I'm not the type to purchase lavish sunglasses because I don't have that type of money to blow. Shout out to the parents for the Ray-Ban's this past Christmas, they're everything.

If you're ballin' on a budget, my favorite places to find super cute, affordable, quality sunnies are Urban Outfitters and Forever 21, if you have the patience to look through everything...

Here's my advice to you: when you're trying to find the perfect pair of sunglasses, don't forget a few tips and tricks to make sure what you're trying on is the one.

1. Put them on and see how they look and sit on your face. This is crucial because you'll immediately know if it's a hit or miss.
2. Make sure they don't cover your brows completely. That's not cute. You want to make sure your brows are visible, especially the arches! You don't want to lose what's framing your face.
3. Turn to the side. ALWAYS turn to the side. Both sides is even better! If you like the way the frames look from the side, they're a winner. People are always going to be at your sides, so this is what their impression of you and your sunnies will be.
4. Last but not least, the smile test. If your sunnies are hitting your cheeks when you smile, they might not be a match. Some people hate when their sunglasses touch their cheeks when they smile, I personally don't mind it. It's all about how comfortable you are about the size of the frames. I gravitate towards the bigger framed sunnies because I think they suit my face shape better. If the sunglasses don't ride up too high when you smile, they're meant for you.

If you are successful in all of these, take your sunnies to the cashier and buy them right away. I promise you won't regret it.

And we must not forget, everyone is different and has their own style. Instead of bashing on each other for our choices in eyewear, let's appreciate each other for being bold and choosing something out of the ordinary. Fashion is spontaneous - it's always changing and it's fascinating. That's why I love it so much.

So there it is. Now you have what it takes to find your perfect pair of sunglasses.

As for me, I'm in my last two weeks of school! Finals are next week and by next Thursday I'll be done with my second year of university! And did I mention in exactly two weeks from today I'll be paying my team a visit in sunny San Diego? I couldn't be more excited for this trip.

IN N OUT. Need I say more?

But since I'll be in San Diego, where it's sunny and hot, I'll probably be bringing my entire collection...

I hope I've made hunting for sunnies a little less stressful and a little more exciting! I'm literally this close to buying a pair of ShayxQuay sunnies, and I'm trying to tell myself no... But like I said, it's always good to treat yourself ;)

I hope my wallet doesn't hate me forever these next few weeks...

Sharmaine