Taking care of yourself

Shift Happens

By Daniel Scott

It is perfectly ok to admit—out loud, even—that everything is not OK. Things change. The honeymoon ends. Strong feelings fade, transform. Paths cross, diverge. People come together. The grass seems greener elsewhere. People come apart, at the seams. Too little, too late. Too much, too soon. Relationships. Jobs. Family. Friends. School. Money. Love.

Like it or not, these are all matters of the heart. The heart is a muscle that, just like every other muscle, responds to how it's treated. It can be built up or broken down, strained or relaxed, torn or repaired. Know that a hungry heart can quickly become gluttonous. Be it pain or pleasure, punishment or reward, it is easy to by enslaved by craving and aversion.

Take care of your heart, and it will take care of you. Yet, even if you manage to keep it healthy, no amount of vim and vigor will protect it from getting hit by the random bus hiding in your blind spot. Even if you do remember to look both ways (which you always do, right?), this will often happen while hastily crossing the street in search of those greener pastures. What do you do when the shift hits the fan? 

Take it. Easy. Be good to your Self. 

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I just read this article from the website: Mind Body Green 
and it is so true!

Now, that my year in the U.S. is going towards the end (six more weeks or so!!) I think a lot about what have happened in the past. I had troubles here and there but also a lot of great moments. Overall I started taking care of myself, my mind and my body. I've learned that life sometimes sucks, it just happens but it is YOUR choice every single day how you are going to deal with it. It is YOUR life that you're living and sometimes changes are good. YOU can decide whether or not it hits you hard or HOW hard. Don't stop living and wait for your luck, go out and appreciate everything you have, be grateful for your family and friends, be grateful for your legs which carry you everyday, be grateful for the water you're drinking. You don't have to overdo it but just to be happy that you're able to see the sunshine and smile, enjoy these moments.   

Love and blessings,

have a great weekend

M

Baking my own bread #2

I'm in love with this bread!!!!! ♥.♥ It is so good!!! Just pure love!!! :) 

Guys, you have to try out this easy- peasy recipe!

I was looking for a 'Vollkornbrot' recipe but couldn't find an American good one, so I just took a German recipe and converted the measurements. 

Baking my own bread

Sunday night my hostfamily had friends over for a BBQ. The friends brought some homemade bread, which was very good and quinoa salad! I asked them for the recipes because I was thinking about baking my own bread also.
Why? I like bread but it's hard to find really good and healthy bread here in the U.S., and I also don't want to eat too much processed food, so why not making your own? You know what's inside and it'll be less expensive long- term. You don't even need a bread machine! 
Actually we've found WASA- Knäckebrot here =D It says: 100% whole grain and a product of Germany. My hostfamily started buying them because of me! :)

So, today I tried out the recipe and this is the result:

  

The recipe is really easy! I thought it would be much harder to bake bread but I think you just have to start doing it and then try out things.. Next time I'd like to add different grains and use more whole- wheat flour and leave the all- purpose flour out.

We've had it for dinner with salad and I dipped it in guacamole, delicious! The crust is the best part, don't you think?

Usually I don't eat carbs (rice, pasta, bread) for dinner time anymore, but of course I've had to try my own bread! :) 

My health- tip: I cut down on carbs at night because after dinner you usually go to bed and then you don't really workout or burn these added calories anymore.

shopping in brooklyn

After the pool on friday, I went on Bedford Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn and did a little bit of shopping! Oh yes, saving up money is harder than I've thought!!! I've ended up in a thrift store, buying two skirts and a vest. When you're around Williamsburg, check out: Crossroads, Buffalo Exchange and Beacon's Closet: buy, sell, trade! I might go there to sell or trade some of my stuff before I hit my way home :)

And don't forget: Smorgasburg and the Williamsburg Waterfront Flea on Sat./Sun.!

There are so many thrift/ second hand shops here in New York, so many flea markets, street fairs and more.. 

I will definitely miss that! Nice markets where you can make great bargains, you might also find designer clothing and unique stuff. Small artists all over the fleas (and all over the city!) are trying to sell their goods, be it clothes, jewelry or food. For instance, the other day I've had spicy pickles from Brooklyn- McClure's Pickles, so good!!! I like everything hot! :)

So, when you end up in Brooklyn,

you should definitely try the many thrift stores and flea markets!

Enjoy shopping and thrifting
in BK ;-)

M 

My shopping- tip: Try to look for bargains, sell or trade clothes if you don't want them anymore. Set a limit of how much money you want/can actually spend on that day.

sleep no more..

I was kind of off this week so I was spending some free time where? Of course- in lovely New York City! I was there from Wednesday to Friday.

On wednesday, I went with some friends to the theatre play Sleep No More - a Hitchcock- Shakespeare mash-up. We, the audience had to wear big white masks and instead of sitting there and seeing a play, we were walking through an entire Hotel, which was transformed into the Set. We could choose to follow the actors, touch the requisite and open books and etc. 

I would definitely recommend seeing it. It goes for about two and a half hours, it was different, scaring and the actors were great! My favourite one was the Asian witch, I think. At the end of the show, she took me by her hand and then gave me a Good Night Kiss :) Maybe she could see through the mask that I'm Asian, too =D

Check out some pictures and audio material here

“A merry macabre chase. A voyeur’s delight. Messes with your head as thorougly as any artificial stimulant. Spectacular!”

-Ben Brantley, The New York Times

Oh and before I forget, if you're into the American Series: Gossip Girl, they've had an episode shooting in the same play: 

Have fun watching it!
xoxo 

M