Walking Meditation
Treat Your Feet
Bring Out Your Inner Radiance
Follow Your Intuition
Feel Rested Without a Nap
The Ultimate Multitask
Swallow Truth Serum
Tree Time
Bless Their Hearts
Belly Breathing
Spend Time with Someone Great
Make a Date for Downtime
Separating Clouds
Eat Seasonally
Bellows Breath
Practice Saying “No”
Finding a Balance Benchmark
Antioxidant Extravaganza
Study Yourself
Mindful Meals
Homemade Ginger Tea
That One Thing
Honey Mask
Mantra Meditation
Detox with a Twist
Chamomile Tea Bag Soak
Uncork a Bottle of Whine
Do Less
Celebrate the Small Stuff
Make Resolutions You Can Keep
Sea Salt Bath
Demi De-Clutter
Start Again
Shake It Off
Stress-Busting Smoothie
Loving Meditation
Seek Inspiration
Homemade Facial
Little Altars Everywhere
Walk Slowly
Comfort Yourself
Steam Things Up
Tennis Ball Massage
Stroll Down Sensory Lane
Celebrate Yourself
Find Your Inner Goddess
Learn a Relaxing Yoga Move
Create a Sanctuary
Give Something Up
Hold the Caffeine
Office Mini Massage
Take a Mental Vacation

Finding a Balance Benchmark:
Keep tabs on your stress levels by setting a balance benchmark — one thing you do regularly that makes you feel great. It could be eating a home-cooked meal a day, reading the paper on Sunday afternoon, or taking a walk with a girlfriend once a week. When life starts interfering with your ability to do your balance benchmark, you’ll know it’s time to reshuffle your priorities so you don’t end up burning yourself out.

Uncork a Bottle of Whine:
Talking about your problems can seem unproductive. But vocalizing your thoughts about things that are bothering you is actually a great stress release — it gets what’s troubling you out of your head so you can stop dwelling and start moving forward. Make a date with a friend to take turns venting. When you’re the listener, don’t commiserate or offer advice. Just be an attentive audience. If you don’t want to vent to someone else, write in your journal.

Office Mini Massage:
Take the sting out of a stressful afternoon with this 30-second massage. Rest your elbows on your desk and place your thumbs under your eyebrows on either side of the bridge of your nose. Let the weight of your head rest on your thumbs for 10 seconds. Then pinch your eyebrows with your thumbs and index fingers. Hold for 1 second, then move your fingers a half-inch out. Repeat until you’ve covered the whole brow.

Steam Things Up:
Although it gets a bad rap, sweating is a vital process — it flushes toxins, improves circulation, and is emotionally cathartic. This week, visit a steam room or sauna. Or, replicate the effects at home by sitting in a warm bath with a towel draped over your head, or by wrapping yourself in warmed towels and getting under the covers.

Eat Seasonally:
Eating foods that are in season is a great way to get more in tune with nature — a connection that helps lower stress levels and promotes feelings of well being. Browse a farmers’ market for perfectly ripe tomatoes, peaches, cucumbers, peppers, and more. Choose as many different-colored foods as you can (since bright colors indicate high nutrient levels) and treat your family and yourself to a meal that feeds the senses as well as the stomach.

Bless Their Hearts:
Hot temperatures got your temper flaring? Next time an aggressive driver cuts you off, or a co-worker sends a snippy email, or you trip over your teenager’s skateboard, try saying this small phrase: bless their heart. It’s a short and simple reminder that the person you’re angry with is human and could probably stand a little forgiveness. It also benefits you by deflating your anger and boosting your compassion. Not bad for three little words, huh?

Go play tennis with kelley and take her to cafe mirage

Brought to you by the health section of goodhousekeeping…

My silly obsession with dating shows has driven me to become an avid viewer of the bachelorette and therefore a blogger of it too. With 3 guys left, the stakes are high. The choices; Roberto, Chris, and Frank.

Roberto;

The dark and handsome ‘hottie’ living in Charleston SC. He was a baseball player and is now an insurance agent. Ali seems to be strongly attracted to him but also a little hesitant. My personal favorite.

Next is Chris L.;

The sweetie from Cape Cod, MA. A landscaper and family man. Ali’s chemistry with Chris L has grown at a slower pace, which cautions her, but their love continues to grow and I see promise in their future. The guy I believe she should pick is Chris L. if she wants to fall in love. L is for longevity.

Last and very least, Frank;

F is for Freak.
R is for really strange.
A is for awkward.
N is for nervous.
K is for kooky eyes.

But it’s okay because Frank is going home tonight! (He has a girlfriend who he is still distraught over and he has recently been photographed kissing her, good riddance!)

My hopes for the future;

I hope Ali stops stringing all of the contestants along, there aren’t many episodes left but it is a tad disturbing to see her all over every guy.

I hope for better casting. I know it is an entertainment television show, however, I do think it would be more interesting if there were better contestants presented from the beginning. (Not just ‘fame whores’). I remember watching the television premiere and it made me not want to continue watching the show. I was appalled at the selection of guys. Ali was not going to pick a little girly weatherman or the sleezy entertainment wrestler. Come on ABC.

In conclusion, I have read too many spoiler alerts and it appears that I am almost over this season and over watching Ali leading every guy on and acting intellectually challenged. I will definitely be tuning into tonight’s episode but my main question is not going to be; ‘who is going to win’ but ‘who is going to be the next Bachelor’?!?!

The office interns have a bet going between Cleveland and the Knicks (…this will determine who has to pay for yummy snacks in the future…Go Knicks!) Now I’m more of a hockey fan, but I’ll respect LeBron for staying in Cleveland, I’ll be excited for LeBron if comes to the Knicks, and I’ll be disappointed if LeBron goes to the Heat. Going to the Heat would be for the sole purpose of creating a power trio (with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh) which I hope does not happen. I’ve heard great things about LeBron, especially with his generosity and loyalty to Cleveland thus far, therefore, I would love LeBron James to join a team other than the Heat. This will allow him to stand out and become one of the greatest basketball players of all time, up against the ranks of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.

Stay tuned for tonight’s decision!!!

http://carmina.ytmnd.com/

In Dallas, Texas, many high schoolers have begun biting their significant others in order to show affection. It is apparently called Teen Biting and involves biting your significant other in some visible place, such as the wrist or even the cheek, to show others that this person is special and belongs to you. Edward refuses to bite Bella in the Twlight series because it’s a line he will not cross, even for his most beloved. These students think that by actually biting each other, they are transcending Edward and Bella’s relationship and therefore fitting in, but also standing above and beyond the characters in Twilight.

Personally I think this is just ridiculous. Not only does being bitten just hurt like hell, but its so stupid, what ever happened to just good old hickeys? But even Robert Pattinson, the actor who plays the stone-cold vampire Edward Cullen in the movies, is unable to resist. On David Letterman, he talked of giving in to the pleas of a 230-pound man at a movie premiere. Pattinson said, “He was asking me to bite him, as well. So I did. And the surprising thing was I kinda liked it.”

Disturbing enough yet? Check out the link Teen Biting

The entire basis for the movie is that Andy is going off to college. Something almost every kid goes through now a days. Without going into too much detail and giving the entire film away, I am just going to say that the toys have realized that Andy is now all grown up and the best thing they can wish for is to be packed safely away in the attic where they can all stay together. Instead they all end up at Sunnyside Day Care Center which at first looks like a dream come true, but soon Lotso, an apparently caring and huggable leader, turns out to be a communist dictator who runs the day care center with an iron fist strictly in order to make others feel inferior to himself. The idea that a seemingly lovable dictator oppresses the heroes speaks volumes, at least to me it did. I don’t want to get into the subject of how the film has an underlying political theme that can be relevant today (even though I believe that it does), instead I want to focus on how this film, that was geared towards children, was able to reach me the way that it did.

It is all about growing up. I am almost done with college now, only have a little over a year left, and then I am going to have to move forward. No more summers at home, and no more lazy Christmas breaks that are over a month long. Soon I am going to be in the real world on my own. This is what Woody and the gang refuses to allow Andy to do. They want a little corner in the attic because they want Andy to know that they will always be there for him. There is an overwhelming sense of loyalty throughout the entire film that makes you think of the days when you stuck up for your best friend on the playground no matter what the circumstances. Lets face it, growing up is hard and you lose friends all along the way. The way Woody and Buzz look after each other and Andy is admirable to a fault. It is the kind of loyalty you can only find in children.

And then there is the fact that the friends are so loyal to each other, just because that is the way it should be. There are numerous times where Woody shouts, “I have to go home, my kid is waiting for me!” You always get that in kids films though, the good overcomes the bad, and the hero knows what has to be done. There is a scene towards the end that is just heart wrenching. Those who have seen the film know exactly what I am talking about probably (hint; huge pile of garbage and an intensely blazing inferno.) It is so sad, my friend who went with me was actually in tears, and for the first time in a children’s film, I thought to myself ‘this is the end, there is no way they are getting out of this,’ But they did. No joke, the entire theater applauded when it happened, and I found myself crying because I thought all hope was lost. I am 21 years old! Not a kid, and yet Pixar faked me out. I tend to not get emotional during films, but this one got to me. It got to me just like things used to get to me when I was 8 years old.

Toy Story 3 is already a huge success, and Pixar has proven time and time again that they can make blockbusters like no other animation company. But this one is different. Go see it everyone. Its worth your $15 to see it in 3D and its definitely worth your time.

New findings are discovering the virtues of a wandering mind, meaning, us daydreamers are finally getting some R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (Halleluiah!) A recent New York Times article discusses the old associations with daydreaming; a failure of mental discipline, infantile and neurotic, and worse, psychosis. Daydreaming and stray thoughts are remarkably more common nowadays and recently considered very useful. A wandering mind can keep you on course of your goals, keep you from immediate perils, foster creativity, and help you solve problems.

This article was unique because it gave you a chance to think outside the box and let your mind wander, a point many articles try to avoid. The test; look at these words and think of a common word; eye, gown, and basket. Moving on, this article is not going to affect many people and make them either stop daydreaming or pick it up, but it simply addresses the advantages to relaxing and participating in activities, like walking, that can allow people to enter their “default network” and turn off their “executive network”. Imagine if we couldn’t daydream, or take a second during the day to mind wander…actually don’t, it’s not pretty.

I am so thankful for my wandering mind (take that Rye High April fools edition) because I think it allows me to be a more relaxed, cheerful person…(creative, awesome, and artistic too but I don’t want to brag…) For example, if I couldn’t mind wander slightly while driving through I-95 traffic, I think I would be a much more uptight person (did I mention honest too?). Think about your friends who say the funniest things (hi Mike!), its because they are constantly mind wandering and can come up with comments that may be so far removed from the topic of conversation. Lastly, the common word between eye, gown, and basket is ball. Eyeball, ballgown, and basketball.
Did you get it?
I don’t believe you………..

3 Year old crying over Justing Bieber

I also found that Justin Bieber actually responded to this.

Jimmy Surprises Bieber Fan

Anyway, it’s a Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus’s world now…

Love,
UA

Frozen yogurt could possibly be one of the best things to satisfy your sweet tooth this summer. I’m talking about these rising posh yogurt salons like Pinkberry, Red Mango, Yogoot, and more! As a healthy (and just as delectable) alternative to ice cream, frozen yogurt shops are a growing trend. What I love about these places is that you can select toppings from granola chunks to freshly cut fruits to add to your yogurt, making it that much more nutritious and delicious. Just for kicks, here are some frozen yogurt nutrition facts in comparison to ice cream:

Small serving from Pinkberry

Total Calories: 100-140 (depending on flavor)

Protein: 3-5g

Sugar: 15-28g

Fat: 0g

Small vanilla scoop from Haagen Dazs

Calories: 270, 160 from fat

Protein: 5g

Sugar: 21g

Fat: 18g

Now it is up to you, what would you choose?

Do something good for yourself….FRO-YO!!!

Fresh fruit toppings!

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/energy/great-energy-challenge/oil-spill-quiz/

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/quiz-going-green/

http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/oceans-quiz/

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/quiz-global-warming/

Student sitting behind Obama was asleep

Isn’t this so funny?? That kid must be so excited former night for Obama’s speech and couldn’t sleep at all. How can a person yawn so many times in this short time!!

And you know what?? People were way excited about this video and the facebook page is already made.

The guy sleeping behind obama at kalamazoo graduation

Haha, that’s all.

Love,
UA

Interface design is “the design of computers, appliances, machines, mobile communication devices, software applications, and websites with the focus on the user’s experience and interaction.” (Wikipedia) Websites are user interface program and there is interaction of user and the website. The interface design basically designs how users interact with website. So why is this really important?? Ok, think about that you are in the one of the shopping website which you can’t find the button to purchase the products, the button to chose the amount of product is on the bottom of the website that you have to scroll down all the way, you can’t go back to previous product once you move to different products… So the interface design is basically to make the interaction between the user and the tool, such as website smooth and easy.

This is a very important part in website industry because visiting users will increase if the website is very easy to use and decrease if the website is hard to handle, which will directly reflect to the profit of the websites. It’s not just the website. Think about iPod. iPod is great not only because of its very cool outside design but its easy interaction is also a very important aspects that why iPod is so popular.

Here are couple great user interface websites.
Nike Running
UNIQLO
FLUID THEME DEMO

Usability? Who cares? Then this is for you.

www.dontclick.it

My roommate and I hosted a season premiere party and made sure to include all things red on the menu. And somewhere between the conversation about werewolves and the season pre-show that began at 8:45 p.m., I began to think about why in the world I waited so long for the brand new season of this show, ravenously devoured every Sookie Stackhouse book by Charlaine Harris (that the series is based off of), and then felt the occasion of a new season called for a congregation of 15 people all huddled on one wrap-around couch drinking red-wine sangria and eating strawberry rhubarb pie. (Which avid followers of the show would now looks an awful lot like that wonderful little concoction Maryanne whipped up for Tara and Eggs). After much thought on the matter this is what I came up with.

Supernatural beings and fantastical worlds are certainly making a comeback in todays society. If you really sit down and think about it, some of the most popular series of this past decade have been about fantasy worlds or supernatural characters. (Such as Twilight and Harry Potter to name a few). So why is it that we crave this genre of alternate realities? Places where things are not just out of the ordinary but also extraordinary?

1.) Our Technological Advancement: It used to be that way back in the day, things we didn’t understand we either turned over to ‘works of God’ or let our imagination run away with us in superstition. Now we have been able to scientifically disprove that breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck, or that every child born on a Monday is fair of face. We can explain almost everything now and, quite frankly, its boring.
2.) Disgust with the Modern World: Little Harry Potter is trapped in a modern day realistic nightmare that he is able to escape from only because he has magic powers. Now what person, forced to live under the staircase of their aunt and uncle’s home, is not going to want to wish they were wizards and could fly off into the sunset on a broomstick? In almost every instance, the hero or heroine comes in contact with their world of fantasy because there is something about the world in which they live in that they hate.
3.) Going Green: This may seem like a bit of a long shot, but with this worldwide obsession of ‘going green’ and saving the environment, we have started to try to go back to our roots. (Cowboy boots made the BIGGEST comeback this past spring, and flowered dresses and blouses are everywhere). There is something about bringing this old world of supernatural beings into our modern day that gives us this feeling of going back in time. Back to where things unknown still scared us, and when the night was a truly dark and terrifying place. True Blood is set in the backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps, where old plantations still loom majestically in glory as they once did. Only in places like this, can we still believe supernatural beings to still exist. In our world of lethal factory emissions and overpopulated cities, its hard to imagine anything being extraordinary anymore.

This may be completely off and may sound like a bunch of hula-baloo, but I’d like to hear some feedback. Why do you watch True Blood? Why do you read Twilight? Why, according to People’s Choice, were 5 out of the 10 best selling books of this past decade supernatural in some way? It is interesting to think about. Let me know what you think!

Iker Casillas–better luck next time.

This phenomenon is catching on and spreading up the coast, originally said to have started in the South. There are many websites that show pictures of individuals getting pranked including the most well known one that was recently shut down called brosicingbros.com. Smirnoff ice and their parent company Diago has taken measures to stop the website because they want to avoid all legal possible mishaps. In my opinion, icing has turned into a great marketing phenomenon that is creating an urgency for people to go purchase a sixpack of Smirnoff ice (which ive already done!) The game is unique because it challenges people to come up with creative ideas of handing someone a Smirnoff ice. For example, Smirnoff ice’s have been sent in packages, buried in protein powder, hidden under pillows, and placed in office desk drawers.

Icing has turned into a competitive game that only lets the creative survive (or really have bragging rights). When I brought home a sixpack of Smirnoff ice the other day, I placed post-its all over it telling no one to touch it, if they touch it they die, and that they will get iced. My mom was not happy when I brought it home because she said “someone will get hurt”….later that night my sister and I iced my mom and she took it like a champ (yea Mimi!) Thats a perfect example of how no one is exempt from being iced and how if you get iced, you must chug it. Moral of the story, get off your computer and go ice someone!!!!

Anyway, I like to talk about the influence of the fashion bloggers today. It seems like everybody has a blog now days and the blog is one of the rapid growing industry in media communication like facebook and twitter. Some popular blogs became books and be published and the bloggers of the famous blogs have quite big influence recently. The influence and role of fashion bloggers in fashion industry are getting larger and larger. Each fashion blogger has his/her style and some blogers post snap shot of stylish people from street, some blogger just post their wardrobes and outfits, others talk about the new collection of the labels… etc. It’s quite interesting to read those blogs if you are interested in fashion and you can get a lot of info and update from industry actually. So those blogs are getting popular and popular and those “Top fashion bloggers” are even invited to big label’s fashion shows, Fashion weeks, and all those prestige fashion related events.

It is still flesh in memories that Bryan Boy actually sat couple seats away from Anna Wintour, Chief Editor of Vogue, during the fashion week. It was also on the front page Life & Art section of UK financial times!

Rumi from Fashion Toast was actually casted to do Ad for Forever 21 Times Square store’s opening.

Aren’t they quite impressive??