Let’s All Celebrate International Happiness Day

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happiness

Today is the second annual UN International Happiness Day. It seems appropriate, right? It’s the first day of spring, the sun is shining, and it’s a little warmer than it’s been. I know I have been in a good mood. So let’s take a few minutes and appreciate some of the good things going on.

First, there’s these 10 things to be happy about. Then I’ll just go ahead and add some of my own. My favorite fast food place, Taco Bell, is launching it’s breakfast menu, and today they announced some of the things that will be on it– waffle wrapped tacos, AM crunch wraps, little cinnamon balls stuffed with things. I keep waffling (see what I did there?) about if this stuff is going to be amazingly good or amazingly gross, but I walk by it on my way to work from the gym in the morning and I know one day I am going to cave and try everything. There’s some new evidence that tequila can help you lose weight. If that’s not an excuse for a margarita and some fun, I don’t know what is! Starbucks is going to start serving alcohol, so when that lame-o asks you out for a coffee, you can have the glass of wine you really wanted in the first place. Virtual Reality gaming is pretty close to being a real thing, and even if video games aren’t your bag, you can appreciate that it’s a cool moment. There’re some intriguing new leads in the missing plan case, because you know you have been obsessively tracking it. It’s the first full day of March Madness, so now you have an excuse to taunt your coworkers and place bets on a bracket.

What are you feeling happy about today?

Links!

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balloons
I was literally worrying about 5 or so of these things, until I read this article. So spot on Marie Claire!
Usually when I meet new people that I really like, I just announce that we will hug when we see each other from now on (creepy? I like to think not), but this guide is handy for when you’re not sure whether to go for the high five or the handshake.
FINALLY experts have proven that the 5 Second Rule is a real thing that you should obey.
If you like saying, “I could care less,” you’ll want to read this.
Well, this article about the toxins in our environment is pretty disturbing.
It is very upsetting to me that such a multi-faceted woman is reduced to just a girlfriend after her tragic death. How the media fails women after death.
My first fragrance was Victoria’s Secret Love Spell, and it still brings me back to driving my first car in high school. Here are some of the Lucky editor’s stories about their first signature scents.
Random sexualization in commercials certainly takes a different twist when you sub-out the pretty women and sub-in men. What what happens here.
This Oatmeal Comic about murderous cats never stops making me laugh.
In case you haven’t seen In Between Two Ferns, here’s what it’s all about.

Visit Cuba, Learn to Dance

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havanaI don’t know about you, but I have always been curious about Cuba. It seems like a beautiful place, with the added mystery that Americans can’t legally travel there. Unless, that is, you are taking a salsa retreat. If you’re taking part in a licensed cultural exchange program, it’s totally ok! I read about The Salsa Retreat in the March issue of Marie Claire, and it sounds like a pretty awesome vacation. The next trip is 8 days in Havana in May. It includes group dance classes, meals with host families, and lots of local live music. With a price tag of $2,900, not including airfare, it’s a little on the pricey side, but the teachers and accommodations are paid directly by the trip, bolstering the local economy while you experience the culture, and learn a new dance.

Pop Rocks for Fresh Breath

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32

I don’t know about you, but I loved pop rocks (despite all of the urban legends). I forgot quite how much until I was at a party where the hostess dipped pretzel rods in chocolate, then the candies for a snack. After eating 5 in a row, I couldn’t get enough of the childhood treat – the fun little sizzle and crackle while you chewed. And now I just read that 32 Oral Care is using a similar crystal candy to freshen breath. That’s a whole lot more fun that chomping on another piece of gum, amirite?

Basically how they work is you tear open a pack, and pour them into your mouth (much as you would with pop rocks), then move them around with your tongue while they pop open zinc and IsoVoxy to kill bad-breath bacteria and clean your teeth. They come in cinnamon for all you Big Red fans, spearmint, peppermint, honey mint, and lemon mint. While they’re a bit pricier than my Orbitz multipack habit, I can’t wait to try them out!

Links!

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links
Well hello friends! I have had a fun week of dining with friends, enjoying some of the best skiing of the season at Stratton, watching old movies from Netflix, and getting to see my honorary niece toddle all around. Here’s what I’ve been reading in the meantime!
Spring break, oh how I wish you existed for adults. This history of spring break will have you missing unfortunate piercings and poolside drinks before you finish reading.
We all love Matthew McConaughey’s signature line from Dazed and Confused. But did you know where he came up with alright, alright, alright?
Some people like podcasts for their commute, I prefer listening to TED talks. Here are 10 that every woman should hear.
I love reading magazines, so this article about headlines that are true to women’s lives is pretty eye opening.
Beyonce and Sheryl Sandberg want to ban the word bossy with this video, and I am totally with them.
You can eat raw cookie dough and NOT get salmonella????
If you haven’t seen the deaf pug yet, you probably should watch this.
You know that pollution IS bad for your health, but here’s HOW it’s bad for your heart.
I have been reading her blog for so long, I feel like I know her. So excited for Jessica Quirk’s news.
What a festive idea for a St. Patty’s day brunch (to go with your green mimosa of course).
What have you read?

When You’re Tired, Take a Break

Posted in Fill Up Your Cup by

puppyI am a planner, a doer, a socializer, and I live in NYC –a city where you can arguably never run out of things to do, people to see, or new stuff to try. That combination, while pretty wonderful most of the time, can get pretty darn exhausting at others. Sometimes, after months of feeling like a weekend without days and nights full of activities is a failure, I am run  down, tired out, and weary of everything I typically enjoy. In moments like these, I wonder. Should I really live here? Is this really what I want?

The answer is always yes.

But at times, doing the things I like can weigh me down. They stop being fun. And after being here for just over ten years, I’ve learned – when you’re tired, take a break. If it’s going out, hitting the gym, working long hours that’s sapping your stamina just stop. Stop it right away. Even cancel something this instant if you have to- not permanently, but just long enough to rejuventate. If it’s the city’s pace that’s wearing you thin, head to the country. If it’s too many girls nights, try staying in and painting your nails. If it’s work, get your assistant to pick up the slack. When you start to miss it (and you know you will), that’s a pretty good sign you’re ready to pick things back up where you left off. Usually being tired and frustrated is not a sign that your tastes have changed, just an indicator that you might be indulging in too much of a good thing, and you’re plum tuckered out.

National Day of Unplugging

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unplug

Sundown tomorrow through sundown March 8th is National Day of Unplugging. While I love the idea of not looking at a backlit screen for 24 whole hours, my job requires me to use computers.  But instead, I plan to not look at my phone (not even once to “check the time”) when I am spending time with my friends. On the subway, I will read a magazine instead of mindlessly playing the same level of Candy Crush. I won’t listen to my headphones while I walk places. And I think it will be a nice break.

Will you unplug? Why?

DVDs

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dvd

I recently realized how long it has been since I watched an actual DVD. My roommate has a Netflix subscription that we stream right to our TV. If we want to watch a movie that’s not on there, it’s way easier to press the on demand button than walk down to the local Duane Reade for a Redbox – plus none of those nasty late fees when I inevitably forget to return it. When I am planning a trip, I rent an iTunes movie to my phone for the journey. All of my movie watching is in the theaters , downloaded, or instantly streaming. Then Netflix comes along and offers me a free trial of Netflix DVDS. And you know what? There are a TON of movies that I been wanting to see that I haven’t been able to find digitally, so I am giving it a whirl. Fingers crossed I remember how to use my DVD player, because here’s what I’ve got lined up in my queue so far!

  • Burlesque (Because Cher and Christina Aguilera? That’s a no brainer)
  • Love and Other Drugs
  • Rachel Getting Married
  • Milk
  • Savages
  • Pitch Perfect
  • This Means War
  • On the Road
  • All is Lost
  • Anna Karenina
  • Pain & Gain
  • 2 Guns
  • Something Borrowed

What movies would you watch if you had unlimited DVD access for a month?