The Dream of The Dolphin.

This Earth Day don't sit around and do nothing to help change the environment. Do something!

Wait, don't get up. Stay right here. Because I found seven ways you can help out Mother Earth from right where you are: online on your laptop. And you don't even have to go outside! That's right. No one said the words lazy and worthless are two words that always have to go together. Let's be lazy and proactive! It can happen!

But don't thank me yet. After the jump, check out these handy ways to help out on Earth Day and see if you want to help. All it takes to participate is a few handy clicks!

1. Plant a Tree: You probably can't see a tree from where you're sitting, but that doesn't matter. Plant a tree with the power of technology. Why not? It only costs a dollar, can help relieve all that guilt you have from being stuck in front of the computer all day, and it helps the environment.

2. Go Vegetarian: You're not going anywhere, so why not spend some time online reading about the benefits of going veg instead of playing Farmville on Facebook? Going vegetarian can help our planet, and while you're doing nothing, you might as well read up on it.

3. Download Earth-Friendly iPhone Apps: If you're sitting there loving the internet and technology, you probably have an iPhone. And that means you can download some free apps so you find out more about what's good for the environment right from your cell! If it's free and you can brag to your mates about how you're contributing to save the environment, then why not?

4. Buy Florescent Bulbs: I know it seems like a small step. But think about how many lights you use at night. Florescent bulbs save you money as well as saving the world. It's a little change, but an easy one. So order yourself some new ones and start changing things.

5. Watch Environmentally-Centered Documentaries Online: You can watch them on NetFlix if you've got it. Watching these free movies is not only entertaining, you might just learn something new about our planet. You'll gain some new insight on subjects right from your computer.

6. Figure Out Your Local Market: Check out your local farmer's markets and what's in season. When you're finally ready to get off the couch, you'll know exactly where you're going. Shopping local is a great way to support your community and the planet.

7. Turn off your computer when you're done: Or donate it to charity. Because let's be honest; you should feel pretty bad about being so lazy. Either way, I hope to have inspired you in this post and wanted to throw that option out there just in case.

Whatever you do, celebrate Earth Day by doing something. Small or large, it doesn't matter. Let's just do it, even if it's just from our computer. Life is too short, so let's start living.

In every colour there's the light, In every stone sleeps a crystal. Remember the shaman, when he used to say: "man is the dream of the dolphin" - Enigma.

T.N.T For The Brain.

Since my flight got cancelled this morning I decided to go out for some retail therapy. Sadness makes me want to buy, I can't help it. I was looking forward to waking up to my mum's freshly made turkish boreks along with her cheerful voice yelling Burçeeeeeeee. Oh well, I shall impatiently wait another ten days.


Shopping is my favourite thing to do. I'm actually really good at it, I can do it for several hours, for several days. I should really be a personal shopper.. ha. One would think working in retail should put you off shopping since I'm around clothes all day every day... wrong. It does the opposite, I find myself hiding clothes in a little corner I cannot even say, waiting for it to go on sale and buying it at the perfect moment. Ouchy! So the question is; does retail therapy really work? For me, yes.

After a long and productive day in the city I came home with this (and an empty wallet)...

Like most of you, I have my favourite brands. They have been very good to me and keep me very happy. Here they are;

Burberry: In England if you wear a fake Burberry bag you will be called a 'chav' so if you don't want to be insulted please do not walk around the shopping centre with a fake burb, it is wrong. I love this brand but hate the prices.

Tarina Tarantino: I discovered this talented woman five years ago when my ex flat mate received an exclusive invite to her trunk show in Melrose. I stole her invite and attended, I do not regret this, It was amazing to meet the pink lady. Since then I have been obsessed with her jewelry, and once you check her out you will be too. Her 'Barbie' and 'I Love You' collection can also be found in my jewelry box.

Anthropologie: I adore anthropologie, the clothes are great and the decor is fabulous. Whenever I look at their website I am so inspired. I also love Urban Outfitters and Free People. They are all amazing artistic stores, and go figure, they are all owned by the same company. In spring, a young man's fancy turns to love, a woman's turns to Anthropologie. Anthropologie's aesthetic, like Ralph Lauren's, embodies a lifestyle, a very particular free-spirited, bohemian existence in which coffee served in vibrant latte bowls and sumptuously embroidered bed linens figure prominently. This is surely where the French film heroine Amelie would have shopped and definitely the place to hear the soundtrack.

Betsey Johnson: Those of you that know me know that I am a tad bit obsessed with her designs. Especially her shoes and bags and dresses... and everything else. Quirky, spontaneous, and innovative are three words that sum up this line.

I like my money right where I can see it, hanging in my wardrobe.

Knocking On Forbidden Doors.

It's day four since Eyjafjallajokul erupted (can't even pronounce the bloody word). I feel really sorry for all those passengers waiting to get home to London and other cities around Europe, I am one of them. Just when things couldn't get any worse, Iceland decided to give us a bit of an excitement. Currently on the phone (duration; 01:34:28) with Virgin Atlantic, can't think of a better way to spend my Sunday evening. Might as well multi task while patiently waiting, ey?!


It's been a very long and draining fortnight. When one door closes, the rest slam in your face. It's definitely not fun but now that I look back it's definitely very funny. I put myself in really stupid situations, I suppose I'm that kind of person that learns the hard way, the really hard way.


On a positive note, I had a brilliant birthday. I actually don't remember anything, that's how fantastic it was. Cheers to my mate Brooke for throwing it, I'm so chuffed about growing older (or up). Twenty five is a big deal for me. I made a list about how great it is to turn 25, because I love making lists and ticking them off, sort of like my life really.

1. 25 is a solid number. Not a wimpy one like 23 or 13 or any number with the number 3 in it. 3’s just seem a bit flimsy to me. I don’t think a 3 could hold up well in a fight, or in court, or when left out of the fridge for too long. 25 though, you don’t wanna mess with 25. 25 is grounded, it’s a solid unit… 1/2 of some things and 1/4 of some others. And it just might know jiu-jitsu… you can never be too sure.

2. I can finally rent a car, and it was just the perfect timing since my car got impounded. Plus I think my car insurance goes down now, because apparently I’m a much better driver today than I was a week ago. MAGICAL!

3. After 25 years, I really feel the most like myself that I’ve ever felt. In secondary school I was a collage of things I thought I should be or was expected to be. In Uni I was trying with everything in me to be everyone except who I truly was. But now, I’ve given in and made friends with my quirks, let my inner desires and dreams go free, and allowed myself to not be a cookie cutter copy of what I thought was good. Hello sweet liberation!

4. This past year brought so much growth into my life. Personally, spiritually, emotionally, I'm more open minded than I've ever been and trust me I am very open minded.

5. I’ve decided that it’s okay to be quirky (and by quirky I mean crazy). Drew usually describes me as “having the crazies” and it’s true. I’m a bit crazy some of the time. But, as much as it can be annoying to those that are the closest to me, it’s also what makes me incredibly sensitive to situations, empathetic, a dreamer, and a perfectionist. I doubt I’d have been able to accomplish half the things that we have without a bit of quirky driving the bus sometimes.

6. It is a milestone birthday.

7. At 25, it’s perfectly reasonable to spend money on nice furniture, to enjoy reading about real estate, and to maybe upgrade to first class every now and then. At 25 I shouldn’t feel guilty about wanting the sofa from Anthropologie instead of the one from Ikea or Target. (Ramon noodles excluded. Because if you chop up fresh veggies it totally counts as a legitimate dinner!)

8. The desire to buy, fix up, and redecorate an older, charming, cottage-y house has overcome me. This may be due to my addiction to blogs like Young House Love and Design Sponge.

9. I am not everything to everyone. I shouldn’t be. I cannot be.

10. I am ___________ enough.

11. I’m not giving up my juvenile viewing habits of watching Team America over and over again to make sure I memorize every funny quote. 

12. More spending on face creams, not exactly sure if that's a good thing but anyway.

13. At 25 I feel less awkward about my love for kitchens, cross-stitching, baking, food blogs, Williams-Sonoma and other traditionally granny-like things.

14. At 25 I’ve learned that a well-placed swear word is not necessarily showing a lack of vocabulary, but is showing an astute linguistic knowledge that sometimes situations can only be described as sh*tty, I can still be a lady.

15.  Things feel eerily similar to how they did when I was 24, except that now the square root of me is 5.

16. I was able to celebrate my birthday with a fantastic group of people. I am very lucky to have such inspirational mates. 

17. I feel very much like a citizen of the world which I LOVE. I feel like the world is my home. And I pretty much sound like a hippy.... Oh well.

18. I understand why investing in good shoes and good sheets and good tires is important and worthwhile.

19. I’m much less ashamed now than I used to be about the fact that I love to read mum blogs and daydream about my future children. Hey I’m 25 now, It’s legitimate planning at this point.

20. I can run farther than I think (i mean, i did run a marathon), work harder than I think, be more creative than I think, push through longer than I think and love deeper than I think. It’s mind of matter 90% of the time.

21. At 25 I understand that you can really never have too many pairs of shoes and perfumes.

22. I don't have to wait for Father Christmas to bring me a wii, I can get it myself.

23.  I’m not so sure about the turning 26 thing. 6’s are just as bad as 3’s in my mind. It’s just a double 3.

24. Luckily, 25 is still young enough to get overly excited about Christmas trees, ice cream, fireworks, and new Disney films.

25. So far I’m quarter-life crisis free. Someone knock on wood for me before I start knocking on forbidden doors.

Second Chapter.

If I could live any celebrities life, I would definitely live as Posh Spice. When I was a child my dad bought me a christmas album of the famous British pop group Spice Girls. I remember that christmas in 1996 when I was just eleven, I did not leave my parents bedroom (since they had a massive mirror) as I was consumed with singing along to their songs with my mums hairbrush in my hand pretending to be Victoria. I cherished that album and sang 'Say you'll be there' over and over again. At that time if you didn't own their album you just weren't considered 'hip'. They were the biggest thing in Britian after The Beatles. At secondary school we even had some of our year mates performing as them during our drama lessons and morning assembly's, I was very jealous that I wasn't in the group, gobsmacked that I couldn't be on stage with them. Having said that, I felt sort of 'cool' being raised just down the road from her and the fact that we were both Aries.

My obsession didn't last very long, I started growing up and listening to 'grown up' stuff until one day Victoria made a comeback, this was her second chapter and this time she wasn't going anywhere.

Victoria has been better recognized as an international style icon rather than a music artist. She started her line dVb that includes shoes, denim sunnies and fragrances (I own most of them and absolutely love them). While there is absolutely no doubt that her designer clothing collection has attracted the attention of stars far and wide and was embraced by fashionistas both sides of the pond at New York Fashion Week, I don’t think Giorgio Armani is quaking in his boots just yet. It would appear that Posh is not content with dressing the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez and Demi Moore and has now set her sights on someone with a considerably greater deal of influence.

Yes, fashion followers, it’s true, Victoria wants her next celebrity fan to be none other than Michelle Obama. "I would love to dress Mrs Obama," she told Fox News. While the first lady can certainly be commended for her style choices from time to time, I’m not too sure she’d look all that comfortable in one of Victoria’s slinky designer dresses. I can just imagine it now, Victoria and Michelle having a good old chinwag in the White House about fashion, while David and Barack thrash out the political issues of the day. Er... perhaps not.

   

I remember someone once said to me 'the key to success; think yiddish, dress british'.

You have to remember that when you are a performer you become a celebrity, but you are not saving lives. It's not that important - Victoria Beckham.

Goodbye Milky Way.

Since we are on the topic of female singer/songwriters I came across this voice just yesterday while watching a Lincoln car advert. Her voice was so mesmerizing that I went straight to my iPhone and googled 'lincoln car ad, female voice, milky way' and the search kindly returned her name... Sia.  

Has it seriously taken me this long to know of her existence? Am I even supposed to like music that are on commercials? But blimey, you can't help it if a tune is this catchy. Sia's cover of The Church's 1988 classic ''Under The Milkyway'' manages to put a new spin on an old favourite. Consider this tune Zero 7'd.

Smitten with her voice? Her single ''Breathe Me'' with its forlorn piano, reminds me of a more heartbreaking version of a Coldplay song with Sia cooly and sweetly singing over sweeping orchestral beats. So moving it brings tears to the eye. She has created a masterpiece.

I implore you, if you like your folk a little more substantial and your melodies simple but effective, you will love her music and cherish it like a new born child. If you're still unsure, check her out live beforehand (she'll be performing at Coachella on 04/17). Either way, don't be fooled, Sia doesn't just stop at Zero 7.


''Ouch, I have lost myself again. Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found''

The Voice of Enigma.

Every once in a while an artist appears with a depth of songwriting rarely seen or heard nowadays. Tina Dico is one such artist. Talented is an understatement for this woman who for many years has had a huge following in her native country, Denmark. In this age of pop stars who refer to themselves as "Artists", it is refreshing to listen to someone who is, in fact, a real artist. Tina's sultry vocals, melodic compositions and insightful, expressive lyrics, full of imagery, metafor and emotion, combine to make her one of those singer/songwriters who only come along once in a generation. Joni Mitchell is cited as one of her influences, and I recall thinking to myself, after listening to Tina's EP, "Far", that there was something of Joni there. No, it's a different sound from Joni, but that combination of jazz/folk/rock melodies and lyrics that reach into the depths of your soul and pull forth feelings that you thought you had lost forever (or maybe never knew you had) create a similar feeling.

Tina Dico's music is passionate, insightful and simply beautiful. Her album landed on my lap while attending Musexpo in '07. She is an incredible live artist often playing solo with her acoustic guitar. I have had the pleasure of seeing her live twice at The Roxy and Largo. Her aura is hauntingly lovely.

Here are my three favourite singles of all time.

''He took me back to where he lives, we had a drink and made attempts to conversate, but none of us felt much like talking about the lives that we were there to escape''.



''Poison racing through my veins, a sordid pull to the insane, a constant gravity to change and I don't know where to go''.



''I have lost it once before, I've pulled myself up from the floor and I am looking for a reason to stay standing. But sometimes it's just too much or not enough or something else, It's so much bigger than my head, it's too demanding''


Tina writes all her music and lyrics. She has a great command of the English language in poetry, which is amazing considering her native tongue. Her british accent is also adorable, since she's spent many years in London. Dico touches on all sorts of topics; of course there are songs of love won and lost (some very sensual). There's also a lot of treatment of personal history using some powerful imagery, but without being clinical or academic at all. She's also not afraid to tackle the more nebulous subjects either; the word choice is so well balanced: "You don't touch the magic / the magic touches you" being one example. She also touches on the inspirational, and does it well: "It's too late to be perfect / And it's not like we haven't tried / It's hard but it's worth it / Every time we get it right", and even the semi-comical in the song "Head Shop".


She has written three EPs on the road creating a trilogy on the way. A fine trilogy too, not overproduced as so many artists are these days, instead relying on superb songwriting, poignant lyrics and strong vocals to get the story across. If you like female singer/songwriters this is one artist you do not want to pass up on. Check out her albums 'In The Red' and 'Count To Ten'... brilliant.


Her latest album represents life. It is a beginning, a detour and an open ending.

Smell of Desire.

Do you recognize yourself in these situations?

• In the last few years you've never been away from your home or your office any further than 5 miles. The most enjoyable experience you've had for 2010? Bowling with the office mates.
• You've just signed your divorce papers or you've just moved out of your partner's apartment.
• You look like a ghost - you've never been under the sun in the last 2 years.

Is that you looking pasty white? You are in serious need of a holiday. What? You don't want to? Oh c'mon.


Admit it, you've been working too hard. In fact, when people ask you how's life, all you can talk about is work. Before you sleep, you think about work. Dedication to work isn't bad, but too much of anything is a recipe for disaster. As much as possible, it's recommended to take a break once in a while. Too much stress at work can lead to heart related problems, ergo, it can be deadly. For people who are about to reach the point of burn out, or hate their job, a holiday can do a whole lotta good: realize the important things in life, renew your love for your work - see it in a whole new light.

I like to go on a lot of getaways, as much as I can, whenever I can. So last week I decided it was time to revisit my favourite place in California... Santa Barbara. If you're going to do it, you might as well do it right. Splurge on a top-notch hotel. Explore the city, get relaxing spa treatments, and sleep in. You will definitely come home with a new perspective. Make sure to go during off-season, which means no stress-inducing crowds. Take walks along the shore, browse antique shops and eat lots of seafood. 


After discovering Bacara a few years back, there is nowhere else I will stay.  On the bluffs and beaches of the central California coast lies a resort of stunning natural beauty and relaxed luxury, like an intimate Mediterranean village. Bacara sprawls over 78 pristine beachfront acres nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez mountains. The resorts terra cotta tile roofs covered archways and wooden trellises lend it the understated relaxed appeal of a true classic California resort. Their attention to the most minute detail and their warm discreet service all evoke the gentility and glamour of the golden age of Hollywood. This is the essence of Bacara- elegance, understatement, complete serenity.

Every now and then go away and have a little relaxation. To remain constantly at work will diminish your judgment. Go some distance away, because work will be in perspective and a lack of harmony is more readily seen - Leonardo DaVinci.

Incognito.

It's that time again where I get bored of my hair colour, it's been what... four weeks since my latest do. I've always been curious about redheads since they are becoming very rare, so I popped into my local salon and showed them a picture of Christina Hendricks. Four hours later I was some what lighter. I usually fiddle with my hair a lot, this usually also depends on my mood. Who said chemicals are bad for your hair? That's a load of rubbish. I've put my hair through torture and yet it still hasn't fallen off, it must be those genes, cheers mum.

Here are some of my favourite red heads, whether they are natural or from the bottle:

Rose McGowen - Actress.

Alison Sudol - Musician.

Christina Hendricks - Actress.

Kara Maguire - Musician.

Julia Roberts - Actress.

Coco Rocha - Model.

Hande Yener - Musician.

Most of us women experiment with hair colour at one time or another, and this is not a new phenomenon; women have been changing hair color for centuries. Ancient Egyptians dyed their hair with henna because they believed it made them more glamorous and seductive. European women wore coloured and powdered wigs to express their moods as well as their stations in life.

Why do we do it? For many of us changing our hair colour is something that we can control - signals that we want to change our lives, which we often cannot. And we know that, for good or for bad, a first impression happens within mere seconds, and often such decisions begin with physical attributes like size, eye and hair color.

In making these first impressions we tend to fall back on long-held stereotypes. We categorize blondes as ditzy, dumb or sexy. We equate brunettes with sophistication and intelligence. We assume redheads are hot tempered or complex. But where did those stereotypes come from and how true are they?

I'm enjoying being a fake redhead. The pale skin, the freckles, the icy blue eyes, the entire 'ginger' package is difficult to emulate. Turning into a blonde playboy bunny involves only a slap of fake tan and some peroxide. Redhead women however, are in a class of their own.

Once in his life, everyman is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball.

The Screen Behind The Mirror.

Today we spring forward and skip sixty minutes of our life. As the days get longer and temperatures begin to climb, off go the jumpers and boots and on go the short shorts and flip flops.  But while our spirit may be singing the praises of spring, it's also likely that our skin is still crying out with the winter blues.

I never had spots as a teenager so when I started breaking out severely five months ago, I was completely clueless on why this was happening to me now. Due to this, I started an obsessive relationship with my skin. For moderate acne to appear during adult age is definitely frustrating but after tons of research it seems like the main cause of this is hormonal imbalance, environmental changes and hands down - stress. Sine I have accumulated all this research and have been going through this I wanted to share my opinions and suggestions with the ladies who are going through a similar situation.

So.... It's time to spring into better skin, first thing first - skin detox.

Our skin reflects our lifestyle and diet choices. It's just as essential to cleanse from the inside by reducing internal impurities. I stumbled across this fantastic tea at Whole Foods while spending my whole paycheque. There are sixteen tea bags in each box and it's roughly $5 each, well worth it. It's great to find something that tastes absolutely amazing that is also very good for you. I'm a die hard tea fan, c'mon I'm British. PG Tips, please forgive for saying this and abandoning you in the back of my cupboard, but I swear by this tea and you will too. Here are the reviews.

There are so many skin lines out there that you get overwhelmed. After spending hundreds of my hard earned dollars experimenting on various products, I have to say my favourites are Dermalogica and Dr. Murad.

This should explain how loyal I am.

Need a facial? Dermalogica on Montana is the place to go. I highly recommend my esthetician Michelle, she is lovely and knows all the bits and bobs about the line. You can also pop in for what they call 'skin mapping' that separates your face into 14 different areas. Each area is approached as a unique space with specified needs, whereas an ordinary approach would be treating all of your skin the same.

Lush is also one of my faves. They have brilliant stuff from solid perfume to hair products. Their products are made by organic fruits and vegetables, essential oils and safe synthetics. All made fresh by hand. So very lush indeed.

Love Lettuce and Cosmetic Warrior are the best in my collection, add some Vitamin E in your daily life and you're pretty much good to go.

Just four days ago I was introduced to Retin-A. In the short amount of time I have used it, I definitely see a change. Just don't get too excited and apply it under your eyes and chin like I did. It will flake and burn severely.

The best way to fight problem skin is not stressing over it, and I find that very hard to say but it's a fact. Make sure to cleanse, tone, moisturize daily and exfoliate at least twice a week. It's been a long journey but I've definitely learned how to be comfortable in my own skin.

Let us be grateful to the mirror for revealing to us our appearance only - Samuel Butler.

Silent Warrior.

A couple of days ago I received something in which most people that don't live in America dream of having. That little tiny card that fits perfectly in your wallet and does wonders, yep, my green card. After five years of living in the city of angels I have finally made the dream of being a resident a reality. Thankfully no more dealing with USCIS (what a pain in the arse) and no more stalking my postman for important letters. In honour and celebration of this, I booked my flight to my home town... London. 

It has been a long 14 months since I've seen my mum and dad and I am ecstatic of the thought of returning home. However there is one problem... Flying.

I am terrified of flying, I don't suffer from anxiety but I'm definitely an anxious flyer. As soon as I feel any turbulence that's it for me. I close my eyes and hold on to my seat so tightly that my nails dig into my skin, I sit there helpless like a silent warrior. I make myself believe that the plane is really falling, it's kind of pathetic but I cannot control it, it's not fun and certainly not exciting. I've had several encounters with uneasy flights. My worst one was flying into Florida from Curacao (the caribbean was amazing but never again), screams, bumps and weeping sounds coming from left and right. I literally thought it was the end of my life. Omj (this is not a typo, you'll hear me say this quite a bit) what a horrible feeling! 

Having said that I find myself even more nervous if I don't sit by the window seat... weird ey?! I like to take pictures, I like clouds, I find them mesmerising. 

If you have a phobia of flying, I feel your pain. This website could be a tad bit helpful.

Time is flying, never to return - Virgil.

Third Of It's Kind.

I don't usually celebrate particular holidays and events that spring upon us once a year, but today is a special one. Today, March 8th is International Women's Day and this one goes out to all the amazing women in my life.

My mother. You are an amazing woman, you have done so much for me that I cannot thank you enough. You are my inspiration yet you are the reason why I did not want to follow your footsteps. You taught me well, you always told me stories about my birth and you always told me how important I am to you, that I am the foundation of your joy, strength, peace and love.


My grandmother. You explained things very simply, like you knew everything and you probably did. I thank you for being so simple. I thank you for telling me the truth, so that I did not need to believe a lie that would have made things 'easier' for me. When in fact, not knowing the truth would have made things complicated. You were the only believer in me when I told you my dreams, you told me 'dream, but do more than dream... dream big'. You sold eggs to look after your seven children when your husband left you lonesome and never came back, you never thought of yourself, you were always so selfless and I love you for it. You helped me overcome my illness when I was a child, you put me on your back so that I wouldn't get tired of walking and get out of breath... and look at me now, third of your kind.


My mother-in-law. You opened your arms to me and let me in to your amazing family. You are such a wonderful woman and do so much for your community and the world with your soft heart and kind soul. I am so very lucky to have you in my life.


My girlfriends. The power of your friendship in my life matters dramatically. Many of us who once believed family was the centre of life now know that friends may be the difference between a lonely life and a living one. I have found that in many ways we share a common language. No matter what our culture, no matter what our background, we can understand each other. You ladies are my core, you know and accept me for who I am and have the trust and loyalty I can count on. I have the best girlfriends anyone could ever ask for.


I am a woman so hear me well. I am a loving daughter, a learning lover, one day I will be a mother. I can wield a heavy spade, as a mechanic I make the grade, I can form a beautiful bouquet, plow a field and then toss hay. There is nothing I can't do yet I'm a lady through and through. I have a voice and I have a brain, need I bother to explain?

Seven Lives.

I's been a very long seven days since my last blog, and believe me when I say very long. Sometimes you just get bombarded with things that life throws at you. You sometimes have trouble dealing with it, acting upon it, accepting it, resolving it and being content with it. Time ticks fast and before you know it... you actually don't. We are so consumed with our surroundings that we tend to forget to take care of our minds and therefore we switch off.

Someone told me to hold off for a second, to take a breather. She said ''Look at you, you're the next Superwoman''. Maybe sometimes I try to play that part but often I can't... and that's okay. We can't always walk around with our shields and our smiles as our weapons. I'm a modern-day woman with non-traditional values. I don't have hairy armpits, I like to wear dresses to work. I have a degree, I love to cook. I don't own a house (yet). Excelsior (my car) is good to me and the only Prada in my wardrobe is from a thrift store. Luckily, if I add it all up I'm not so bad, but calling me a Superwoman..... nah, I'm not having it.

Ok... I think I'm rambling on right about now. It is 1am and I did work six days in a row. This means it's my day off tomorrow, which means plenty of time for another blog, Skype with the 'rents and make music with my rockstar.

Before I go, I just want to remind you that perceptive awareness is being fully alert and living fully in the moment. It is seeing trees bend in the wind and the way birds circle overhead. It is sensing how the trees feel and what sorrows and joys the birds are experiencing. Their pain, their happiness and their worries. It is experiencing the full moment around us and not just our little thoughts. It's clearing the mind of future events and past overly replayed scenes.

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while you just may miss it - Ferris Bueller.

We are Nature.

Today is the first day of March and we all know what that means - 40 days till my 25th... Ha. On a serious note it means we are closer to Spring.

Who said Cali never rains? Oh yes, It was Estelle singing to 'American Boy' (stuck in my head while I type). I am definitely ready for some sunshine. I am over the rain! So guess what's in store for Saturday's 10k race... rain! Could you cross your fingers for me, please, that the weatherman will be wrong about at least the timing? I would be over the moon if the rain would hold off until say... 9 o'clock - ish.

Since March is the time of transition from winter to spring I decided to start my day by going for a hike. I have to admit the air smelt very nice after raining cats and dogs on the weekend. While hiking, life becomes more simple, it slows down to a reasonable pace and it helps me reflect on life and really see the small stuff. There is nothing like reaching a high altitude and the feeling of being on top of the world.

And it goes without saying... fantastic photos @ Fryman Canyon: 

After finishing off my hike to Enigma Radio I decided there was something missing in my life... a plant. I headed out to Target and found the perfect one.

A ''Spring Glow'' Hybrid Calla Lily. Yes... my pot says ''Bee Happy''.

There's no question that hiking offers a way to get regular exercise. Your mental health will dramatically improve and hiking is a great way to reduce everyday stress and just get away from it all. Soon you will consider hiking to be a journey rather than a destination. Being out on a trail will no doubt give you a sense of communion with something greater than yourself. I believe it will clear your head and energize your soul.

When life gets too much for me, I take a hike.

                                            

Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts and my worst thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it - Soren Kierkegaard.