Peppered Thought – The Spice of Life

Every year, more and more studies are presented, showing that a good night’s rest contributes to weight loss, clearer skin, higher test scores in students and so many other things. And yet, more and more I see commercials and ads for sleep aids, because people cannot achieve natural, healthy sleep. Why is this? I attribute it to infomercials-they’re so darn appealing at 3 a.m.! Of course I need something that slices and dices my avocados! Anyway, back on track; the advances in technology – whether it be laptops to catch up on websites, tv in the bedroom to watch late night talk shows, or even trying to get an early start the next day at work with your Blackberry – being “on” constantly takes a toll on your mind. It won’t turn off just because you turn off the lights.

So here are some tips that have helped me throughout my journeys through sleepless nights.

• exercise. You don’t have to do a full Buns of Steel video or even go to a gym. Any sort of movement that makes you out of breath is great – crank some tunes and shake your thang in the living room for 30 minutes. But, make sure you give your body several hours to simmer down and get into a relaxed mode before trying to go to bed. Dance around and have a ball at least 3 hours before you hit your pillow, otherwise your endorphins will still want you to run a marathon.
• lights off! including the glowing box! Yes I mean the tv! First off, having any sort of lights on really effs up your body’s natural rhythms – it still thinks it’s twilight, or worse – DAWN! So, off with the lights. Second, the tv, if you do have one in your room, should not lull you to sleep. I will admit, I am guilty of this from time to time, but every time I do keep it on, I ALWAYS end up waking up in the middle of the night and have extreme trouble getting back to sleep. It cannot be helped. “But,” you may say, “the tv keeps my mind from racing through all the things I have to do!” well, ma chere, read on!
• keep a journal or paper near your bed. It might sound silly, yes, but if you actually do this, the results are incredibly encouraging. Before you go to sleep and turn out the lights, write down everything that is on your mind. It doesn’t have to be a “to-do” list, or even a list you have to look at ever again; it’s just a visualization of your thoughts. everything you’re thinking about gets purged onto this page. Keep it right there so that if you have another thought as you’re drifting into sleep, you can scribble it down quickly. It helps tell your brain “you don’t have to keep working on remembering this stuff; it’s all on the paper dude!” so it can focus on getting you to sleep. Seems simple enough, right? Then you have the choice of rereading the paper the next morning, or tossing it away-ahhh, no worries!
• no computer! If you find you do actually wake up in the middle of the night, try this tip: practice solitaire in your mind. It is repetitive and was designed to be sleep-inducing. Keep going over it in your mind and you will be countin’ z’s in no time!

All these tips should help you on your way to Snoozesville!

What tips would you like to add that have worked for you?

I intended to publish another article today, but I absolutely have to wait to publish it because I had the most refreshing experience.

Backstory: I really like to send out texts to a whole lot of my friends, to see what their answers will be. Some of them skirt the questions, some try to be funny, and some…well, some just make me want to cry they fill me with happiness. For your enjoyment, I will share the best of today.

The question for today was “Finish this sentence: ‘If all of my expenses were paid, what would I be doing with my time? I would be…’”

Or, as I like to call it-the Office Space question.

Here is what i got:

“I would be selling vintage clothes on etsy, shooting photos of street style,  making zines and silk-screening tshirts by hand to sell.”

“God!”

“Crafts, joining a local theatre, and probably volunteering.”

“I think I’d take my camper up to Alaska in the busy tourist months and meet and talk to tourists.”

Read more…

To start, if you have no idea who the Eagles of Death Metal are, please watch this.

If you don’t like them after that song, well, you just don’t like any sort of fun.

That being said, the newest gift from EoDM, Heart On, is without a doubt their best to date. Believe me, I have been very tentative at saying this, because I love Death By Sexy, I adored Peace, Love and Death Metal and air-guitared my heart out to “Boys Bad News.” But truly, to be fair to them, this is a goldmine of appropriate licks and tasty yet meaningful lyrics.

It starts off with regular EoDM fare, which is nothing to sneeze at: lots of “faux-vado”- what I like to call self-aware bravado – with “Anything ‘Cept the Truth” and “Wannabe in L.A.,” their first single. But as you keep going, it gets better and better. “”(I Used to Couldn’t Dance) Tight Pants,” while having one of the most amazing titles ever, is an explosion of rock on an ideal, fantastical level. This is the kind of hilarious, yet incredibly hardcore stuff rockers and secret rockers (like sweet lil me) could only dream of. And yet, here it is.

The end of the album, “I’m Your Torpedo” is a very nice, yet subtle change. If you are into Queens of the Stone Age at all, and know Josh Homme (pause for drool) and his musical leanings, you will hear that this is more of a Queens song. Or, as one friend and music buff simply put it: “It’s a Queens song. It’s a really, really good Queens song.”

Also, listen to “Cheap Thrills” for the Eagle-ettes – their voices totally make me think of Alicia Silverstone and Liv Tyler in the Aerosmith videos! Yes, I realize they didn’t speak in them. But if they did, they would back up EoDM just like that!!

All in all, definitely worth actually buying the CD, even if you are just going to burn it into your ipod library, because the album art is also incredibly awesome! You can never say no to man with a fu manchu. Trust me, I know. ; )

*kiss* Thank you Jesse Hughes, for emerging from the desert and bringing a soul, a pair of tight pants, and an incredible heart back into rock.

Last night, like almost exactly half of the country, I watched with glee the election night coverage and Obama win with all the excitement of, well…there truly is nothing like it. It wasn’t like Christmas or a birthday, because it only comes once every 4 years. It’s something much different. It is on everyone’s minds, even if they don’t want it to be. And so, as I was sipping my champagne, celebrating at least 4 years of hope and change for our nation, I watched Senator McCain’s speech and was awed – and somewhat saddened for him – that his most eloquent and beautiful speech, was his concession. It inspired me to write this article about grace and being classy, no matter what environment you are in.

• Style. Having style-in manner of dress and carriage- is important in everything you do, whether it’s  competing in a presidential election, or dealing with people at the market. Style is an all-encompassing word that should be on your mind whenever your in a public place. It’s about caring about yourself enough to be polite to others. You don’t have to go out of your way, helping old ladies across the street-but not brushing past them because you’re in a hurry is a start. Read more…

Seize the Night.

Seeing how I have a day job, I don’t get to explore the night as much anymore; and that saddens me. The night is most mischievous, kind of like myself. Which is why we get along so well. The cover of night shields you, doesn’t judge you, and washes away any negativity that had built up during the sunshine hours. The night always seems so eager for you to come out to play, and so I shall make a resolution to indulge her and discover all the fun she has to offer, before it gets too frigid after sunset. Come along!

Tea Parties-fun in the daytime, but even more terrific at night! any sort of outing with friends where eating and drinking is involved is sure to end up a rollicking good time. But tell them it’s a tea party at night? they are positively begging the sun to go down to see what you have in store. Make sure you go out on a full moon, because you want to find a place where the street lights are minimal to truly take in all the night has to offer.

Lakeside- i’m sure almost everyone lives within 20 miles of a lake-i live in ARIZONA and one is 19 miles away! So get thee to the lakeshore after the sun has set. sure you can’t go boating or anything like that, but being by the lake for a few hours in the dark, watching the ink-black waves lap against the shore in a rhythmic, soothing way is just what the doctor ordered when the day has been a little too chaotic.

  Read more…

10 uses for a tin can:

1. telephone (must have two in this case – and a person to talk to)

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