The Week My World Changed

This week has been one of mixed feelings for me. So much has happened... life has happened.
It is with a heavy heart I share the knowledge of my grandmother's passing. This heavy heart pains from the pain of my mother. Grandma's body was breaking down until finally she went, kept from the pain of which ailed her with drugs and soothing sounds.
Monday, among this sadness, I received news that I passed my COMPS exam.
Shortly after, I was invited to an interview for a job at the USF Library.
Tuesday, I went to the interview. I forgot to put on chapstick and made chappy lip sounds and said "um" more than I care to share.
Thursday, I got a call saying I got the job.
I received a letter in the mail saying I need to give my loans back to the government because I am not eligible to receive them.
Friday, gay marriage is made legal.
I call and speak with ten different people at USF and discover I messed up with paperwork but someone else also really really messed up by falsely stating I took my COMPS exam and passed in the Spring.

... and here I am now... my mind heavy with the weight of both happiness and sadness. I am a believer of balance and, at this point right here-->., I have found the state of life.
Life, as an ever-changing, ever-flowing, state of being. I will return to this point many more times in my life, as is the norm for those who breathe and use the gifts of the earth. There are no words for feeling happiness and sadness. Many would say that I'm stressed but the state I am in goes far beyond; the weight both strengthens and weakens my spirit. I am sad that my mother is parted from her mother. I am excited to have passed my exam and that I got a job offer. I am ecstatic that there is more equality in our country. I am frustrated and terrified about my financial aid issue. I feel all of these states but, like the world keeps spinning after death, I am still here now: thinking of friends I miss, working on class assignments, petting Penny and Rinpoche, writing a blog post...

Some Florida Gardening Tips & How to Work With the Land

This is a video I found extremely necessary to share. If you're in Florida though, you need to consider the summer heat! A lot of things will not grow or will not grow well enough to be worth the effort during the summer. While we cannot grow much in the summer, we are fortunate to have two growing seasons here: Spring and Fall.
But you really want to get something from your garden during the summer? It's important to tend to your garden, to nurture, amend, and revitalize your soil. This off time will be beneficial to your garden. However, there are certainly options!
What can you grow that will thrive in Florida's awful heat?
Swiss Chard, Okra, and hot peppers. That isn't very much but the rest of the year is sure to give you a lot.

When Nothing But A Hug Will Do (for the days when you just really need one)

Hugs are the most physical comfort one being can give to another. They are a vital part of our well being and happiness. Yet, do we get enough? Are they all the same?
I receive a hug from my life partner every day and a kiss to match. About twice a week I receive one from a good friend. Every now and then I wrap my arms tight around my two little angels because there's always room to fill up with more love.
When we wrap our arms around someone we are opening ourselves physically but much of the time we are also opening up emotionally. To share a close space with another person and their energy can spark all kinds of emotions and help relieve many. For me, a hug from mom just helps me let everything go because I am home once again in her arms-- the first arms that ever truly held me.
But what about hugging someone that you've known for a long time but have never hugged? Well that is an interesting one. First, there is the necessity of a hardened reason and generally a request-- whether noted verbally or with gestures.
And then when it's confirmed that both parties agree to the necessity, the embrace is much like the birth of a plant. One day you are like how you always are and in a moment you are awakened out of your shell. This sort of hug doesn't transform you, it simply reveals what was already there-- the karma, as you will. It can either reveal great discomfort and a desire for continued strict professionalism or it can be the moment you realize you were stranger-friends all along.
In a single moment, when arms are wrapped and hearts are open and vulnerable, you learn to see all the seeds that were planted for this friendship. All the positive reinforcements, the attempts at brightening your day-- suddenly they are more obvious.
In a sense a hug is one of the most emotional physical gestures we can make. They can be a catalyst as demonstrated, comfort, longing, love, or a greeting of the highest caliber.
So the next time you hug someone-- really hug them-- determine your intentions with the embrace. There need be no shame or reservations, just give a good hug. You never know when someone really needs it (unless they tell you).

Sewing Fails and Cosplay Tales

After my month and a half craze of getting our cosplays done for MegaCon, I've acquired a lot more knowledge than I thought I needed. This knowledge includes how to use my sewing machine, how to sew a zipper, how to alter an existing article of clothing and so on. The most important aspects I learned this past month were my mistakes. I can blab all about how to made my beth romper (which needs a do-over but was pretty kick butt for my absolute first) or how to put together my airbender costume (so happy but still room for improvement) but I find that the best help to give anyone out there wanting to cosplay but lacking in skill-confidence or are just not sure where to start.

TIPS:

• First of all, you MUST MUST MUST pick something you love. And when I say this I don't mean some super frilly, layered, armored, adorned, elaborate outfit; I mean a character that you really like that has a fairly simple outfit. Accessories are cool-- they help bring it all together, but focus on the basics then go from there. 
• Also, if you are doing a simple costume, don't make it complicated, for example, making Beth's (Bravest Warriors) outfit into a romper (like I did). It looked nice and it helped me achieve the look I wanted but I would have been less stressed and happier if I just did high-waist-ed shorts with a grey top. Sometimes certain shapes with characters just aren't possible without learning new techniques and my goodness did I learn a lot.
• Make sure you measure three times before cutting. 
• If you're using existing clothes to make your own pattern for parts of a cosplay, make sure you are considering the type of fabric. A stretch fabric on a tank top will not make a pattern for jersey fabric. (In all honesty, if there's a pattern out there that will get you close to what you need, get the pattern and follow it's recommendations for fabric, seam allowance, etc.-- this is supposed to be fun and you don't want to discourage yourself by making everything difficult your first time)
• Never go to Joann's without a coupon-- they send them every week in email and every month in USPS mail.
• Don't forget to consider hem allowance: don't skip it or skimp on it but also don't over do it. 
• Most importantly, don't procrastinate! Give yourself time to work with challenges and accrue the materials you need.
• Party City wigs really don't last longer than a day... the hair was literally coming out constantly and it had a weird shine to it. Refer to Epic Cosplay or Arda Wigs. I bought an Epic Cosplay wig and, well, you can see the difference:

Party City Wig

Epic Cosplay Wig

• But if all you can get is Party City, I definitely think having a wig helps you along with your cosplay and helps you stand out better in pictures.

• Cosplaying is fun. It's even more fun when people recognize you and ask to take pictures. If you are doing a more obscure or a lesser known character, don't be upset if people don't ask you for pictures. Most people will look and feel like they know who you are but don't want to be embarassed when they ask who you are. So, if your goal is to get attention, do better known characters. 

• Try and find out if there are meetups for characters associated with yours. There was an avatar meetup on Saturday but Alex and I didn't wear our costumes until Sunday. Trust me, finding people who are cosplaying from your character's universe is even more fun than walking around the con feeling out of place among all the Sailor Moons and Dead Pools.
• Bring a water bottle-- the fountains are free to use. Also, bring snacks and sandwiches; crappy pizza is expensive at conventions. So is the sushi and soup.

The Tales!:

I'm very happy we went all three days because it gave us a chance to experience every aspect of the convention. Friday is the perfect day to make thorough rounds in the vendor hall; it is the least busy day of the week. Not only will you be able to walk down the aisles without doing the penguin shuffle but you will also be able to converse with the vendors and get first pick of what's available.

Alex and I had thought to not buy anything the first day, which is good for restraint purposes, but the prices don't really change from Friday to Sunday (at least not that I noticed at MegaCon). So, if you are really wanting that nemuneko in a pig suit plushie but you set it down and you walk away feeling like you shouldn't have set it down-- run back and get that plushie! It's not something you can just get anywhere and, trust me, I've been hunting for the past couple hours, it's not easy to find specific nemuneko plushies online.

Saturday is a great day to wear your notable cosplays (or the ones you are most proud of). This is the busiest day of the weekend, so it might be better to avoid the vendor hall unless you want to try for that plushie you didn't get the day before or there is a celebrity at a booth for that day only. Saturday night is also when there are after parties. I've heard bad reviews in regard to the official con after party, so try for ones thrown by the nearby hotels or con attendees. 

Sunday is when everyone is worn out from the big bang of Saturday and its after parties. It is a good day to chat with other cosplayers because everyone is more relaxed. It's also a good day to take one last look in the vendor hall because, well, it's your last chance to grab that darn cat in a pink pig suit! It's also a good day to reflect on the fun you've had and how you could have even more fun next time. So whip out that planner, a sketch pad, and start making more friendly connections because your first con won't be your last if you've kept the most important thing in mind: It's all about having fun.

Yummy Yummy Quinoa (Vegan/Vegetarian)

I love eating this by itself but I'm sure it'll be delectable if you add in some okra to your veggie mix in addition to leafy greens.

Ingredients:

quinoa (any kind!)

water

vegetable bullion (and/or spices-- have fun with the flavors!)

olive oil

peppers (sweet bells and hot ones are awesome!)

onions

cooked/frozen white beans (or another bean of your choice)

garlic

[how much you'll need veggie wise is determined if you are making this as a meal or a side. I love to just go ahead and do quite a bit]

Helpful notes: 

Keep to the ratio of 1 Cup Quinoa to 2 Cups water. Don't be stingy with the water, you'll need it.

Remember, quinoa expands quite a bit.

Directions:

Rinse your quinoa.

The only way this is actually possible without losing half the seeds is to use paper towels (or a fresh clean dish towel) and a colander. Set the towel(s) down in an even layer so as not to let anything slip out. Hold the edges of the towels as you pour running water over the seeds.

Let them sit for a bit then, hold the towel over and in the pot you will be using to cook. Use the water you are going to actually cook with, wash the quinoa off the towels and into the pot.

Add your bullion cube and/or spices. Bring to a simmer and cover.

Cook your quinoa on low heat for 15-20 minutes (I prefer 20 minutes but keep an eye on it).

While that's cooking, cut up your onions, peppers, and garlic. Toss it all together with the beans in a frying pan with olive oil. If the beans aren't frozen, you can put them in closer to when your veggies are done.

When your quinoa is done, turn off the heat. [The seeds should be very soft (Alex says like mashed potatoes). If they are still tough, add a little water and let them cook longer.]

Stir it up with a wooden, not slated spoon. Add in your veggies, add a little oil to keep it all from sticking. Add salt & pepper and more spices if you like!  

The Dishes May Get Dirty

I recently came into the thought of how am I ever going to get all of this done? and realized the answer: I never will. No matter what we do the dishes will always get dirty again, the floor will need to be swept, and the crafty projects will keep coming.
My way to happiness and peace? Let the dishes be dirty sometimes. You aren't the only one who can wash them and, if you are, there shouldn't be that many and they can wait for a day while you take care of other priorities.
You all know I truly enjoy cooking so eating out all the time is out of the question. The key to making it work: if you have time to sit on your bum and just watch Chopped reruns, you have time to wash the dishes. Even if it's not all of them, do some.
When the chaos of everyday responsibilities engulfs me I clear my mind and let this list ring gently in my ears. The point of it is not to complete the tasks but to follow Set a Timer when considering all aspects of your day. There truly is a weight to the immortal To Do List but when you just devote yourself individually when you can, let the rest go.
If you have important work to do, do that, then take a break and wash a couple dishes to clear your mind.

"Rake the leaves. You'll never finish for good but you'll learn the point of pointlessness."

Live Your Dream

Happy New Year everyone! It's the year of the sheep!

Some of you may already know that I am a sheep (because quite a few of you are sheep yourselves). Apparently this is going to be our year to push forward and take a big step towards our aspirations. I'm very considerate of the sources on Elephant Journal in this regard but I can honestly feel that all the positive forecasts and such are for real. I've been feeling so many good vibes and I know I probably sound crazy to some of you but the energy around sheep(at least for me) this year is just ripe for change and making but strides towards goals. 

For my western new year resolution I sent out a lot of positive energy and wishes of happiness for all. I did not foresee all the magic of my hopes and wishes for others to come back to me so quickly, becoming my own fuel for courage and love. 

Here I am again, during the eastern new year this time, sending out all the love I can muster to friends and strangers alike (from all signs of the zodiac). We are here to love and I want you to know that I honor this purpose. 

If you are ever in need, I am here. 

Go out and experience what the world has to offer. Drink up the wonder that is all around you. May nothing scare you from sincere aspirations. It may not happen now but know that was does happen now is a lesson or experience leading up to your hopes. You are in control of your destiny. 

Go live your dreams.