Tuesday Ten #1

(Blogs, Music, How-to's, Recipes, Videos, Junk that I love from around the web)
Click on the links below!

To read with your morning coffee

A brief look into a Texas native with a drunken' poet's dream.

One good reason to stop using your age as an excuse for not livin'. 

Hey soul sistah'

Beach Bag Wish List

A berry twist on a classic spirit

Let's go on an adventure...

He has a way with words...

How to nurture your happy!

...Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk. {and other instructions for life}

Fall in love with a girl that writes....

weheartit.com

Fall in love with the girl who writes. 

It may sound silly, but if you do, your memory will always remain. Whether it is on the back of an old receipt  or a piece of notebook paper, you will always be camouflaged within the curve of her poor penmanship.  You are the cause of her puzzled look of confusion as she sits behind the computer. I am sure you can see her now, wide-eyed, pressing her lips in silent frustration trying to make sense of the noise in her heart. She's quirky, emotional, and undeniably lost in her own little world.. but love her anyway. 

I ask you again to fall in love with the girl who writes. 

Yes, the one who would rather spend money on journals than the extra shot of espresso at the fancy coffee shop. Her inspiration does not derive from the heavy influx of caffeine but the people who surround her. She takes note of the detail, just as she notices the detail within the masculinity of your jaw bone or the way you brush your fingers through your hair. Or the way you study her, when you think she's not looking. You are her inspiration. 

Support her endeavors. Gift her pens filled with colorful ink that she will undoubtedly smear across her fingertips or the side of her hand as she loses herself in a story she dreamt the evening before. Ignore the anger and crumpled pieces of paper that blanket the hardwood floor. She needs those, she just doesn't know it yet. Don't ever let her throw any of it away. Bring her peppermint tea, or a glass of red, and kiss her. Your encouragement will make her smile through the block she convinced herself she was in. 

Fall in love with the girl who writes of sadness. Don't ask where it derived from. Let her bleed on the paper and catch any fallen tears. Don't assume that you are the knight in shinning armor when she writes of love. She has had many broken hearts, memorable moments, and she needs to relive the fluidity of each second. Don't worry, she will always come back to you--and the moment she knew you would become a wall full of post-its. 

Let her write when she should be working. Don't scold her for missing something important you said. She was creating; cultivating, and building a foundation. Always remember to point out the spelling errors, but don't get too critical. She lives by Hemingway's sentiment: "The first draft of anything is shit." Laugh with her, when she rolls her eyes and begrudgingly reminds you of this. 

If you fall in love with a girl who writes, try not to let her go. 

She's complex.

Sensitive. 

And she may blame herself. 

But then again, she always has one thing to turn to. Blank pages will always be available, and a pen will always be in her front pocket of her purse. She will get through. 

After all, writing is her therapy. 

-kristina a. caron

Steady, Darling

source: beautyisshe.com

Steady, darling, you must slow your breath. Yes, he has the sort of beauty that makes you scream in the inside, but darling, please steady the pace of that anxious heart. His voice is smooth like velvet, rich like dark chocolate, but try not to melt within the melody of his rasp. Even if it reminds you of 2 am and the tune of a broken man revealing the depth of his secrets in between the steady hum of a Fender Strat.

Take a sip of your whiskey sweetheart, it will help calm the nerves spinning in circles as you struggle to keep your patent leather pumps on the cool concrete. Move, but move slowly. Let him catch the eager sway of your hips; the subtle curve of your breasts hugging the threads of your blouse. He’s a pistol and he’s ready to attack–careful darling, but give in to his advances, it’s just one drink. It won’t hurt to lose yourself for the night; to let go of the monsters building walls inside your head.
-Steady, Darling | kristina a. caron

Black Balloons

The party is over; diamonds shatter upon the floor where we dance unwarily contemplating each others next move. Although red wine lingers within the cracks of your lips, you're intoxicated by the lights spinning on the ceiling. A black balloon with a red piece of string floats among the fog; dreary and thick of stale cigarette smoke. You're smiling, stumbling on the words that threaten to fall from the corners of your mouth. Amazingly, they fail to canvas the space between us as you drop the bottle held loosely in your hand. I'm nervous, deciphering the language of your movement. Like a movie, black and white, you move forward anticipating the reaction of envious spectators. Your lips find mine; surprisingly cool, longing for my response. Much like the black balloon, I drift away in your kiss--

Creative Writing Piece | By: Kristina Caron

33 Ways to Simplify Your Life

lovely--delight.tumblr.com

1. Turn off your mobile. 

2. Try to process emails only twice a day. 

3. Go to bed early. 

4. Get rid of {or at least reduce} commitments that you do out of obligation. 

5. Create a weekly meal plan. 

6. Automate your finances. 

7. Purge as much unneeded clutter as possible.

8. Just say no.

9. Tell the truth. 

10. Keep your list of addresses and phone numbers up to date. 

11. Consolidate debt. 

12. Create an organising system that works for you. 

13. Keep a bag for garbage in your car. 

14. Cary a notebook and pen with you where ever you go. 

15. Unsubscribe from emails, newsletters or RSS feeds that don’t provide value anymore. 

16. Apologise immediately when you realise you’ve done wrong. 

17. Enjoy the present moment as much as you can. 

18. Take time to really see the little things in life. 

19. Reduce the amount of TV you watch. 

20. Create morning, daytime, and evening routines. 

21. Ask for help. 

22. Don’t get caught up in other people’s drama. 

23. Let go of the self-imposed need to be perfect. 

24. Focus on a simple, but healthy, eating plan. 

25. Share responsibilities. 

26. Reduce your wardrobe to a few versatile items. 

27. Be positive. 

28. Finish old tasks before taking on new ones. 

29. For every new item that enters your home set two free. 

30. Want what you have not what you don’t. 

31. Revisit what you carry with you in your purse or wallet. 

32. Focus on one thing at a time. 

33. Store new garbage bags at the bottom of your garbage can.

{Source: ZenFamilyHabits} 

- See more at: http://www.bellamumma.com/2013/05/33-more-simple-ways-to-simplify-your.html#sthash.W86vlDlp.TObSuZmS.dpuf

Wake Up: Fruiti Freeze Strawberry Recipe

The weekend is almost here! Wake up with this delicious recipe from Fruiti Freeze!

Strawberry Smiley

Ingredients:

2 overripe frozen bananas

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

3 tbsp. plain Greek yogurt (optional) 

1/2 cup almond milk or rice milk 

Method:

1. Mix strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and yogurt in a bowl. 

2. Add one banana to Fruiti Freeze

3. Add mixture then add second banana

4, Add mixture to blender, add 1/2 cup rice or almond milk (add more if needed)

5. First pulse the blender low then blend on high for 1 minute or until smooth. 

Enjoy!

The Fruiti Freeze instantly churns frozen fruit and other toppings into a healthy soft serve treat! 

For more information on the Fruiti Freeze please visit: buyfruitifreeze.com

Something to Remember this Holiday Season...

Although his flight is delayed, he remains calm. It has been nearly two years since he has been home. He stands proud in his uniform; an ever pressing reminder of the services he provides for his country. His sacrifice; intangible, for the freedom he grants his loving wife and newborn, keep him strong. Nervously, he flips through a magazine gazing incessantly at his watch. Outside, the clouds reveal the whisper of the first snowfall. December 23rd.

She too, watches the snow fall as she warms her tired feet by the fire. In her hand, she holds a letter from her high school sweetheart. His kind words brings a smile to her face but she knows he would not be home for Christmas this year. Although loneliness has set in, she remains hopeful as she places tender kisses on their new born son.

Alas, he hears the echo of his zone number being called through the static of the intercom. Busy strangers rush to the flight deck ticket in hand. A surge of excitement escapes him as he smiles to the flight attendant. "Happy Holidays Soldier", she gushes with a wink of an eye. 

At the stroke of midnight, she is suddenly awoken by a knock on the door. Startled, she wraps her flannel robe around her body and stumbles down the dark hallway. Through the glass, she makes out the slender shadow of her husband. Her somber walk becomes a sprint as she unlocks the dead bolts throwing herself into his arms. "Merry Christmas Baby", he whispers as he kisses her for the first time in two years.

I once read that:

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:
The presence of a happy family all wrapped in each other."
Burton Hills

By nature, we long for the newest technology, the designer handbags in the window, or even the expensive vacation we have been dreaming about. Yes, we are all guilty of becoming engulfed within our extensive wish lists from time to time. But what about the intangible gifts we present to each other throughout the holiday season? What about the thoughtful gestures such as the soldier surprising his wife by coming home for the holidays? Presence alone, can be the greatest gift of all.

As we count down the days until Christmas, I encourage you present a gift you can give a loved one that they will not only cherish, but remember for the rest of their lives.