I live in technicolor.

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.                                                                           
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s - Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Play more games.
6. Read more books than you did in 2011.
7. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
8. Sleep for 7 hours.
9. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

1. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2. Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
3. Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
6. Dream more while you are awake.
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
8. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more.
14. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:

1. Call your family often.
2. Each day give something good to others.
3. Forgive everyone for everything.
4. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
5. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
6. What other people think of you is none of your business.
7. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

1. Do the right thing!
2. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
3. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. 
4. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
5. The best is yet to come.
6. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

(via hoebagkeisha)

I had no intention on moving to the city to fall in love.  But, intuitively, my soul knew that when I moved here I would fall in love.  

I did fall. The beginning of this year I took tumble for someone that didn’t value himself.  And, it turned out that he didn’t value me, either.   I fell short, and walked away. 

And, then I fell again.  Except, this time, there were no trips or fumbles.  It was like walking off of the platform and onto the train.  Seamless, and fluid.  I found my seat next to him, and all of a sudden we were moving forward.  

I am in love.  We don’t have every little thing in common.  He rolls his eyes, and sometimes musters up a laugh to accompany my stupid puns.  I wake him up mid sleep, so we can reposition into a closer snuggle; and hopefully get him to snore a little lighter.  We have a city love that exists for weekends at a time.

When our long distance relationship magically turns into a “normal” distance relationship, the windy city guides us.  We steal kisses on street corners, and hold hands over crosswalks.  The buildings illuminate our moments together and that proverbial clock stops ticking.  The city is the perfect backdrop for the time that we do get to share with one another.

When he’s gone, my heart is heavy.  I miss the eye rolls and I even miss the snoring.  What makes it okay are the little memories scattered all over my city.  The heaviness eventually drifts with each passing block. I’ve come to realize that these sidewalks and city streets are the combination of grit and glitter. They parallel my own love life and pave the way for more moments.  It’s bittersweet, unexpected, and imperfect.  Exactly how I like it.

This is my city love.  

I effing love Christmas.  I love Christmas music.  Christmas decorations. Christmas trees, Christmas cookies, cheer, PRESENTS (giving and getting), weather (Yep.  I’m one of those people.  I enjoy snow.) … You get it; I friggin’ love me some Christmas.  

There is something that’s happening to my Christmas spirit.  It’s trying to get pulled out prematurely.  I do recognize how insanely inappropriate that previous statement was. I will also recognize that I let it happen because I’m an immature 26 year old.  Moving on! Here is my question…

Why, on November 1st, not even 15 hours after I had taken off my kitty ears was my Starbucks Venti soy latte served in a bright red cup?  A crimson hued cup sprinkled in white stars and perfectly paired snowmen singing, only what I can assume to be carols.  …Christmas carols.  Before I continue, l would like to go back to my opening point.  

I effing love Christmas. 

I effing love Christmas when Christmas is right around the corner, and not down three blocks and a street light away.  It shouldn’t be nestled up next to Halloween’s empty candy wrappers!  Just because Halloween is over, doesn’t mean that fall isn’t happening.  News flash, Starbucks- I want to enjoy fall while I still have it around to enjoy.  Carrying your holiday drenched coffee in my hand while I crunch autumn colored leaves, for the sake of an awful pun, LEAVES me feeling seasen-ally confused (double pun whammy, y’all!).  

Here is my non-conformist approach to the pre-mature holiday celebration.  I’ll skip the Starbucks, and brew my own coffee at home until after Thanksgiving.  … But once the turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing is off of the table.  It’s ON, Christmas.   

Then it’ll be Goodbye Pumpkin Spice Latte, Hellooooo Peppermint Mocha.   Trust.

Hokay. …I’m stepping off of my soap box.  

My name is Seasen, and I’m in a long distance relationship.  

I fell in love with my Detroit pen pal, and in the midst of all of that wonderfulness I’ve concluded that;  it’s not the distance that makes it hard.  It’s the distance that makes us strong. Let me reveal though, that there are some days where I feel as if I’m walking with my own personal rain cloud above my head.  I call that a case of the saddies.  But, like any good SeaMaP post- I have a list!! :D

Cons:

- The obvious, “getting to see one another at the drop of a hat” notion. 

- An empty side of the bed.

- Missing that direct eye contact.

- Hand holding.

- Feeling like you might burst because you can’t hug your Hot Legs. 

Pros: 

- Not having to shower days on end. (Kidding! …Half-kidding.)

- Wearing his XL-heather blue-J.Crew-softer than a babies bum t-shirt for the 5th day in a row around the house without a care in the world. … Except for that part where your roommates stare vacantly at you while you sniff the boyfriend smell out of it right in front of them. NO SHAME, PEOPLE. 

- Sprawling across the bed and hogging all of the covers. 

- No beard stubble rubbing against your face making you ever so attractive and blotchy.  Very blotchy.  

- Your extra hand is free so you can continue to play Angry Birds.

- There is not a parallel Pro to the last Con listed. …

He fills my heart up from 238.89 miles away and I couldn’t be happier.  We’re taking it day by day, and that’s all that matters to me.  

I feel as though this post is just the tip of an extravagant LDR iceberg.  Our little ole re-lashe is only 2 months and two weeks in.  Let the vom worthy, sticky sweet, and unbearably cute tumblr posts begin.  

Xoxo’s

Alright, folks. I’m cutting the bullshit and posting my first actual, factual, and (potentially) witty tumblr post in a very long time.  HERE GOES. 

Once upon a tumblr post I declared my endeavor onto the healthy track.  A lot has happened since February.  Like, I started running… Okay- jogging.  Let’s call it jogging because I’m not quite conditioned for marathon status, yet.  I learned a lot right from the get go. 

#1) It’s fucking hard.  BUT. It’s worth it, and it doesn’t necessarily get easier. It does, however, get more rewarding.

#2) Running to the Beastie Boys should be mandatory by ALL runners/joggers.

#3) Guys will still blatantly check out your rack… Even when it’s attached to a sweating, huffing n’ puffing, and red faced girl charging in their direction. 

#4) I’ve never fought so hard to hold a fart in, IN my entire life than when I’m hitting the pavement.  Like it’s not bad enough that all of that running pressure is pushing everything “out”… but, I’m in Chicago, boo boos.  These streets are crowded. I’m dodging people, dogs, and strollers left and right!!

#5) Giving yourself a few days break from running is fine.  Not feeling guilty about it is the tough part.

It’s okay to take a few days off.  I found that when I wasn’t running, I was trying to be active in other ways.  Walking 5 miles to the beach instead of hopping on the bus.  Going to yoga, and watching my life flash before my eyes there, instead of on the streets of Lakeview.  The positive impact from running has brought some sort of balance into this simple little city girl life.  

And, really it’s all about the little victories.  I ran over 20 miles in the month of June.  20 MILES!  I worked my way down to a 13 minute mile, too.  It’s not something that an avid athlete would boast about, but they’re MINE. I’m proud.

I needed to write this so I could see it in plain black and white.  It’s tangible now.  I have accomplished something this summer.  Even if I’ve taken a couple of weeks off due to the intense heat only a triathlete should conquer running in… This is some small motivation to get back at it.  The same thing applies now than it did six months ago.  It’s not about a size, or a goal weight for me.  It’s about the feeling, damnit!  

What’s something more rewarding is seeing the outpouring of support from friends, and family.  You all make a girl feel awesome for updating her Facebook status. So - Thanks, ya’ll!

It’s time to feel good again.  : )

Let the annoyingly happy and peppy summer time tumblr post COMMENCE.

How’s about a fun packed list of summer happenings? HO-kay!

Summer in the Windy City 2011 = Major belly aching laughter, sunburns, popcicles, late night phone dates, beer gardens, freckle attacks, Horatio, Movies in the Park, sneaky pictures, flowers, surprise visits, longs walks, bike rides, date nights, double date nights, triple date nights, dance parties, brightly painted nails, SG margaritas, slurpees, FAMILY TIME, jogging in t-shirts weather, the insanity of Cubs home games, the calmness of Cubs away games, solid street festivals, 16”-three speed-oscillating floor fans, cover bands, Fullerton beach days, Belmont Harbor picnics, broken in flops, skirts and sundresses…

Icing on the cake?  Super duper friends, a pretty freakin’ fantastic boyfriend, and wicked cool family to share it all with.  

Life is good for this lucky gal.