Category: Lifestyle

If we were having coffee – Back in the burbs

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Eek!!! Do I have some MAJOR life updates for everyone here. What better way to share these updates, than sitting down with an iced latte and chatting over a pastry or two. So, here’s what I’d share with all of you, if we were having coffee.

If we were having coffee I’d tell you I’m dating someone!!!! I’ve been with my boyfriend for over a year now (14 months this past Sunday) and we’re oh so happy. Maybe embarrassing but also maybe not (I’m opting for the latter since I’ve always been an independent girlie) but he’s my first serious boyfriend ever and first boyfriend since high school LOL

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I’ve moved back to the suburbs. My boyfriend owns a home in the suburbs of Chicago and despite how much I loved the city, I felt that my time there had come to a close. I love how much cheaper things are, not having to pay for parking, and not having to budget an additional 30 minutes of driving time for ‘just in case’ of traffic time lol. We moved in together on our one-year anniversary in May and while it’s definitely been an adjustment of getting used to living with someone (other than my sister), it’s been super fun to live with him. He fully fenced in the backyard so the doggies have room to play and run outside and honestly, one major life goal achieved. I remember moving into my very first apartment with Poppy in 2021 and wishing that one day my super sweet anxious girl would have a big backyard. We still walk daily but it’s nice that not only do they have 2000 or so square feet inside to run around and play but they have a whole backyard to sniff, run around in, and bask in the sun on warm summer days. I think they might like living here more than I do.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I finally did hit my goal weight (I hate that phrase). In the last 2 years I’ve lost a little over 120 pounds. I’ve been living in maintenance for the first time in my life (I’ve been trying to lose weight since I was 13) and it’s been the biggest adjustment of my life, not actively trying to lose weight. Now, I’m focusing on whole foods, lots of protein and lots of fiber, moving my body, and being balanced.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I have started doing yoga. I’ve always LOVED yoga and have been practicing since I took “Mind and Body” as a gym class in high school. In the past, I never let myself ‘take yoga seriously’ because there were people that were better than me and people who could do certain poses (crow, hand/headstands) that I couldn’t do and thought yoga was only for super advanced yogis. HOW IN THE HELL did I think they got to be super advanced yogis? Oh, that’s right, by practicing yoga.  Last month, my boyfriend and I went to a class that a coworker of ours teaches at and I fell in love with the studio. I went to 2 more classes at that studio and then bought an intro pack for the studio near my house and I’m hooked. It’s been less than 2 weeks and I’ve already been to seven classes and I can’t wait to go to more.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I finished my Med in May. I went to graduation in December and had 1 more credit hour to take this past spring and I’m officially done. BUT WAIT – I’m starting my MBA next month, per a recommendation of a number of my coworkers. I love my job and want to stay here for the long haul. I think an MBA will help me stay here, get promoted, and learn the ins and outs of business that I’ve never really known about.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I’m doing really really really well. I’m happy, physically, mentally, and emotionally doing well. I have been seeing my therapist weekly every week for the last almost 5 years (will be 5 years in October) and last year at some point suggested I’m doing well enough to only meet twice a week and I’m sure at some point soon we will probably only be meeting once per month. A lot of work by myself has been put into myself in the last five years and this is proof.

What would you share if we were having coffee?

❤ Alicia

Life Updates: Jobs, Grad School, Weight Loss, the future of this blog

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Hi all. Happy Sunday  

Typical Alicia, I haven’t posted for four months. I hope the end of 2023 and start of 2024 have been good for all of my readers. It’s insane to me that it’s already March. It’s been a whirlwind of a few months, and I have so much to share.

I quit teaching! WAHOOOOOOO. I left teaching last year and am so happy I did. I got a job working from home [it’s hybrid, but I’m only in the office 3 days a month] at an industrial supply company in the suburbs in their tax department. I love my department and all of my coworkers, and I have made so many new friends! It’s such a breeze from this job, and working from home gives me so much more freedom that I didn’t have while teaching. It’s also crazy that I’m trusted to do my job and just have a check-in once a month with my supervisor and other than that, I get to do my job. I really like everything I’ve learned about taxes so far, and I’m excited to be making $20,000 more than I was while teaching and I’m excited to see where my future takes me, either at this company or somewhere else.

I’m officially in my second semester of grad school. I’m soon to be 3 classes down and will finish this winter. I can’t wait to have an official graduation [I missed my undergrad graduation due to COVID] when I finish. I love my classes, and I think I want to get into instructional design or project management post-grad unless I decide I want to keep working with taxes for the rest of my career. Who knows? It’s also a plus that my company is paying for my entire tuition, which is a huge plus. I might even get my MBA after I finish this degree.

I’ve got some travel plans! In a couple of weeks, I’m headed to LA to visit two of my best friends from college. In May, my sister and I are headed to Europe. We’re going to France, Luxemburg, and England. And in July, I’m headed to Guatemala for the wedding of a friend of mine! I’m glad to be back to traveling, especially since my last trip was over a year ago.

My life has officially come full circle. My first ever blog [besides the summer bucket list blog I had with my best friend at the time in high school] was a weight loss blog. I would post daily about my food, weight, workouts, etc. I was DEEP in multiple eating disorders and really struggled with my food. In the past year, I’ve been losing weight again, in a much healthier way, and have lost 90 pounds! I’m about 30 pounds away from my goal weight and want to start sharing that part of my life here as well.

So… what does the future of this blog entail? Well, in true Alicia fashion, a lot of things. I’ve never been able to pick a niche, which is why this blog is a lifestyle blog, not a book/fitness/travel blog. I’d like to share all that encapsulates my life, from fitness, travel, post-grad life, books, and more. Take your coat off, stay a while, and welcome to a cute little rebrand of LivingOffLeesh.

Alicia ❤

Five books I read recently

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Yesterday’s writing prompt of the day was: “What is your favorite hobby/pastime?”

If you learned anything from my two posts earlier this year, I love to read. I’ve always been a fan of contemporary and historical fiction, and earlier in 2022, I also dabbled in fantasy and romance.

When I was younger, I loved reading. Having “Library” every week was my favorite time to pick out a new book, and having a library on a Friday meant staying up until the wee hours of the night finishing that book. When I got to high school, that all changed. Yes, I enjoyed some books in high school, BUT I hated that our teachers chose all of the books. I spent most of my high school and college years reading the required material and reading under ten books for pleasure. After I graduated, I wanted to take back my love for reading, and since 2020, I have been slowly building up the books I read each year [7 in 2020, 15 in 2021, 100 in 2022], but after I made a goal of mine to read 31 books in August, I was burnt out from all the reading I had done. I read more after that, but maybe ten books in the last four months.

2023 started rough in terms of reading. So far this year, I’m only on my 12th book. I have a goal of reading 50… It’s better than 0 books but much lower than where I wanted to be. I read a blog post earlier today about someone posting mini-reviews of the book she had just read, and it got me thinking. I love writing reviews, but not 1000-word book blogger reviews. Anywho, I wanted to share five books I read recently and a mini-review of each.

The Martins: A book translated from French, written from a French writer’s POV, whose task is to ‘Go out into the street, and the first person you see will be the subject of your next book.’ He stumbles upon an elderly woman and ends up writing his book about her, her daughter’s family, and the twists and turns that a ‘typical’ family goes through. I adored this book and the mundane of it all. It’s funny; I initially thought I would be bored reading this book, but there’s beauty in the banality of life.

Binti: This trilogy of books was recommended to me by my grandpa. The first book took me months to get through [and initially sparked my reading slump] because of all the world-building, much like all fantasy books. Even the beginning of the second book was super slow, but, once again, like all fantasy books, at the end of the second book and all of. Third, the amount of action happening page after page kept me so engaged that I finished 200 pages in one day. A ton of African culture is incorporated into this novel, from names, locations and more. I’ve never read a fantasy book with this much of a real-life essence.

Beach Read:  AUGUSTUS!!! I bought this book in 2021. I read the first few chapters in 2022. I finally got around to reading the entire book last month. I can’t remember why I couldn’t read it the first time because, OH MY GOD! This book!!!! I love Emily Henry with all my heart, and her books make my heart flutter. Augustus and January are my favorites; this book and their journey fill me with joy.

Carrie Soto is Back: First of all, Taylor Jenkins Reid is a goddess. The first book I ever cried at was The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I’ve read a few of her novels, and Carrie Soto is Back is just as good as the others. After retiring from tennis at the top of her game, she has a lot of work to do despite some haters, bad mistakes, and maybe a little love. On page one, I fell in love with Carrie and kept loving her the entire book. Reid knows how to write characters, and Carrie Soto is no exception.

Better than Before: Long ago, I read The Happiness Project [and even wrote a review for it on the blog 😉 ]. Since then, I have loved Gretchen Rubin. In her book Better Than Before, she tackles the age-old question, “How do we change?” The answer is habits. Rubin discusses all of her tried and accurate habit-forming methods, and boy, was I influenced. You know it’s real when you have to stop reading to take notes. It was a good read and prepared me to form healthy habits.

Have you read any of these books? What are five books you recently read?

Much love

❤ Alicia

If we were having coffee

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Happy Fall. Happy October. Happy times of change! It’s been quite a year for me.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I went to Panama! My life goal is to visit one new country a year, and this year’s country was Panama. I went in February with a group of teachers and EF tours. It was a 5-day trip that was jam-packed with everything Panama City and more had to offer and it was lovely. Panama is an incredible country, and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to visit

My friend Claire and I at the Panama Canal

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I went to Disney World for the first time in 13 or so years. My best friends and I all flew down to Orlando for my spring break and went to Disney. It was a crazy week, filled with sun up to sun down walking, riding rides, drinking, and eating around the world.

My friends Grace, Jess, and I after a long day enjoying some milkshakes

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that last semester, I taught a class on… COFFEE. At my school, we have a 3-hour class every other Wednesday that focuses on student interests. With the help of a student, we created a coffee class. We learned about different types of coffee, made coffee, tasted coffee, got to tour the Starbucks roastery and got to tour a smaller roastery. I got to visit some coffee shops in the city that I’d wanted to visit for years, and on my school’s dime! How fun!

Inside the Starbucks Roastery of Chicago

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I moved! I moved to the city’s Southside [Pilsen] with my sister. She is still in college but stayed with me over the summer and will stay with me for breaks before moving in with me full-time once she graduates in May. I love my apartment, its sunlight, how I’ve laid it out, and my bedroom!! My whole life, I have always dreamed of living in one of those corner apartments with the cylindrical group of windows that just exude sunlight and ‘princess’ vibes. It gives off a reading nook, and I knew I had to live there when I first saw the apartment. The amount of sun that comes into my apartment completely removes the need for lights until it’s dark out, and the way I’ve designed my apartment makes me feel right at home [apartment tour coming soon 😉 ]

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I turned 26. Not only did I turn 26, but I also got the gift I’ve been wanting for my birthday for the past 13 years: an Edible Arrangement!!! Weird, I know, but it’s something I’ve always wanted.

In all her glory :’)

I got a second dog. In June, I saw a dog resembling Poppy, and I had to have him. Unfortunately, he was taken before I could meet him, but another dog was available. When I sat on the floor next to him, he put his head on my shoulder, and it was love at first touch. He had heartworm, so I knew I was in for a hell of a few months, but having already gone through that with Poppy made me 100% sure I could handle it. On June 24th, my sister, Poppy, and I drove home with our newest addition, Juniper. We’re not sure of his breed, but I think he has pitbull, beagle, and chihuahua in him. I will ask for a DNA kit for Christmas to get him tested because I was also sure about Poppy’s breed and then was 100% wrong. He just finished his heartworm treatment yesterday, so I officially have two healthy dogs. It’s definitely been an exciting ride, but I’m loving every second of it.

Juniper on the left and Poppy on the right

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that the walking group I’m a part of is getting major buzz. I’ve been with this group for over a year, and we reached 50K followers on Instagram. Two weeks ago, I led our biggest walk with roughly 400 people!!!! It’s so fun to lead walks, and I love getting the chance to meet new people in this big city.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I’m seeing my favorite band in the world on Sunday. Tomorrow morning, I am driving to Ohio to pick up my younger sister from school, and we are driving back here for The Band Camino’s concert. It’s tradition now, seeing as we went last year as well. I cannot wait to see them again, and I got VIP tickets, which means we get some merch and a 4-song acoustic set before the concert. I’M PUMPED.

I have a few other things I would love to chat about, but just in case I have some gossipers, I need to keep them quiet for the time being. A lot has changed in my life in the past year, and since I haven’t shared ALL of the changes with people in my real life, I will keep SOME of the changes private with the people in my online life. I hope that will change soon, but enjoy some boundaries and a little mystery in your lives for now.

Much much love,

Alicia ❤

100 books in 2022

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I posted my Top 10 Books of 2022 the other day and went down a rabbit hole of book bloggers and got a lot of inspo. Rosie, who I’ve followed for years, posted her post, GoodReads Goal and it made me want to do the same thing.  I read 100 books last year and while sharing my top 10 is great, I want to share my rating for all my books. My friends say I’m pretty harsh with my GoodReads stars so keep that in mind 😉

Five stars

  • Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
  • It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
  • The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  • The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus
  • The Stranger by Albert Camus
  • The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
  • For the Love of Friends by Sara Goodman Confino
  • Coraline by Neil Gaiman
  • The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
  • The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
  • Book Lovers by Emily Henry
  • People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
  • The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
  • Before the Coffee Gets Gold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
  • Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
  • Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
  • Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas
  • The Assassins Blade by Sarah J Maas
  • House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas
  • A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas
  • A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas
  • I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
  • We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
  • Animal Farm by George Orwell
  • The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
  • The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
  • They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
  • The Brighter the Light by Mary Ellen Taylor
  • The Bee and the Fly: The Improbable Correspondence of Louisa May Alcott and Emily Dickinson by Lorraine Tosiello and Jane Cavolina
  • You, Me, and the Colors of Life by Noa C. Walker
  • Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
  • The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner
  • Night by Elie Wiesel

Four stars

  • The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
  • Persuasion by Jane Austen
  • Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
  • Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  • Black Coffee by Agatha Christie
  • Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
  • Campos de Fresas by Jordi Sierra I Fabri
  • This Time Around by Tawna Fenske
  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • Life After Coffee by Virginia Franken
  • The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
  • The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
  • The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
  • A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
  • Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
  • Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas
  • Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas
  • Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
  • Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
  • Crazy to Leave You by Marilyn Simon Rothstein
  • The Fifth Agreement by Miguel Ruiz
  • Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
  • Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
  • When We let Go by Rochelle B. Weinstein
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Three Stars

  • Emma by Jane Austen
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
  • The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
  • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
  • Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
  • Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
  • The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irvine
  • The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis
  • Meet Me in Madrid by verity Lowell
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas
  • Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas
  • House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas
  • People I want to Punch in the Throat by Jen Mann
  • Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
  • Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
  • Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
  • Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
  • Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
  • Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
  • Canoeing in the Wilderness by Henry David Thoreau

Two stars

  • Love Yourself First by Krystle Laughter
  • The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli

One star

  • Life is Short and So is This Book by Peter Atkins
  • Como Agua Para Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
  • The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
  • Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis [DNF at 25% also my first ever DNF ever aka it was awful]
  • Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas

After looking at my ratings like this, I am the opposite of harsh with my stars. But here are my 100 books for 2022. My goal for 2023 is 50 books. Ideally, I’d love another year of 100 but I’m starting small and then I can make changes as I hit smaller goals J

How many books did you read in 2022? What’s your goal for 2023?

Alicia 🙂

If we were having coffee [and hadn’t chatted in a few years]

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I got an email confirmation from WordPress a few weeks back saying that my URL was being renewed for another year. I couldn’t help but find it silly that 20 or so dollars came out of my account, and I hadn’t posted since I last got that email in November of 2021. My last post was in July 2021, and it was a catch-up post about my life. I had just moved into my first-ever apartment [which I still live in] and that was that. Nothing since. I’ve logged in a few times but every time I try to put finger to the keyboard, I’m overcome with anxiety that I should be doing something else: work, cleaning, sleeping, working out, walking my dog, etc.  Why can’t I just do something [like read or write] because I want to? Why must there be a higher purpose? If I want to sit on my couch, watch Dance Moms, and write a little blog post for a few hundred people to read, then why can’t I??? My goal in 2023 is to take care of myself: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Blogging does a lot for my mental health, and it makes me feel like I have a bit of a purpose. So, here’s to writing at least one post a month. If I write more, fab, but 1 post a month is my goal in 2023 and that’s that. So, for the first time in over a year, grab a coffee, and let’s chat.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m actually no longer drinking coffee. I kind of stopped drinking coffee in October? I drink it rarely but not daily like I was before.  I really only drink tea now and I’m feeling good about this decision. I love Chai now!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I was diagnosed with PCOS last January. It’s been awful and I have so many more questions, but I love the online support community that surrounds PCOS. I’m learning so much about my body through it which is good, but it truly sucks that my body doesn’t function like others do.  I would love to start posting about it here 🙂

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m reconsidering my profession. I think I’ve fallen out of love with teaching. It’s heartbreaking and I’m not sure if it’s my school or teaching, but I think a career change is in my future [that and my master’s degree for sure]. I’m having preemptive guilt because I love my coworkers and my students and the Spanish language and culture, but I come home every day exhausted [not to be mistaken for the lack of caffeine I’m drinking haha] and depressed. I don’t want to lead a life like that :/ I’m not sure what’s in store for me next year but I really need to reevaluate my life and what’s important to me and see if teaching gets better for me.

If we were having coffee, I’d let it slide that I’m no longer vegan. WHAT?! Here’s the deal. I went vegan in 2015 when I was in the grips of an eating disorder. I used veganism as another method of starvation and ate protein bars, smoothies, and bananas, and called it a day. I maintained this veganism for 6 or so years, hating myself when I slipped up and ate something with milk in it. I made the decision for myself that right now, veganism is too restrictive for me. I am still vegetarian and will realistically never eat meat again. Once I work out all of my problems with food and body image and eating in general, maybe I’ll make my way back to being vegan, but right now, I need to not be as restrictive so I’m a happy little vegetarian at the moment and have been now for well over a year.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m ready to leave Chicago. When I was little, I always dreamed of moving to LA or NYC. That dream is long over. I want a backyard and grass for my dog to play in. I want to be within 30 minutes of an airport but without the hustle and bustle of Chicago. I want to be able to find parking dammit! I want things to cost a little less money. I love Chicago and always will, but Chicago isn’t [and never was] permanent for me. I never pictured myself here post-grad and I’d love to be in a city that feels like home. I’m not sure when I’ll move but I do know that I’m not staying in my tiny little apartment forever [which is bittersweet].

I’m sure there is so much more but that’s what I have today. I miss writing dearly, and every time I do open a blank document, it feels right, like this is what I’m supposed to be doing.

Chit-chat soon,

Alicia ❤

Orgain Protein Review

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Disclosure: some of  the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no  additional cost to you, 
I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Over the past few months, I’ve been trying to treat my body as best as I can because I’m trying to love myself and part of loving yourself comes from treating your body right. I’ve been trying to eat a balanced amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats. However, as a vegan, it can be a little harder to get in all of my protein daily, so, I usually have a protein shake or smoothie after my workout each day. I’m also trying to eat less processed foods which, unfortunately, a lot of vegan meats are high in chemicals and words I don’t know so, I was stuck in a rut with my diet for quite a bit.

I’ve used quite a few vegan proteins in my day however, there were none that I ever loved [either the price or the flavor] until this summer. While scrolling through vegan protein recommendations on a blog I was reading in April, I discovered Orgain Protein. Orgain protein is very plant-heavy and doesn’t have the chemicals that other proteins I’ve had have.

I’ve been using this protein for about five months and have loved every product I’ve tried. From their protein shakes, powders, and bars, everything is good!

My biggest thing when it comes to protein is taste. A lot of proteins don’t taste good and it can still be tasted when added to food. I’ve put the powders in smoothies and oatmeal and to my surprise, it tastes good!!! Depending on what flavor I use [PB or chocolate fudge are the powders I’ve tried and keep coming back to] it adds to the food I put it in and you can taste the chocolate or peanut butter in the food I’m eating. I also enjoy drinking their protein shakes plain or in a fruit smoothie with granola after a workout.

My favorite thing about Orgain protein is that there are tons of flavors and options for products. I love their creamy chocolate protein shake and their peanut butter chocolate vegan protein powder. The biggest thing I love about these is that they are soy-free [my stomach does not tolerate soy which is why I’m opting to eat less soy in my diet].

Overall, if you’re looking for a protein, in whatever form, I would recommend Orgain.

I loved them enough to become an ambassador. If you decide to give Orgain a shot, you can use my code: LIVINGOFFLEESH30 for 30% off your first order [they even had nonvegan protein and collagen]

Much love,
Alicia

If we were having coffee

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Long time no write – my favorite phrase. It’s been about two and a half months since I’ve sat at my computer and written. My laptop crapped out on me in February amidst my hardest assignment I’ve ever had to complete in order to graduate college and get my teaching license. The keyboard stopped working [I realized right after purchasing my new one that I needed a new battery] and I had to connect a mouse and keyboard to get the computer to work so basically it was just a desktop computer. Nothing wrong with a desktop, however, my favorite blogging spot is at the corner of the couch with a cup of coffee on the table next to me and a movie on the TV for background noise. That was difficult with my previous set up. Now, I’ve got my brand new computer and I’m ready to get back into writing. So, grab your cup of coffee and let’s chat about my summer.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you about how I’m still [hopefully] headed to Spain. I’ve submitted everything necessary for my visa application and now it’s just a waiting game. As long as everything goes as planned and my visa gets approved, I’ll be heading to Ciudad Real, Spain on September 14th to teach !!!!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you how my sister went away to college! We moved her in about two and a half weeks ago at Southern Illinois University and then I got to visit her this past Friday! She’s doing so well there and college was just what she needed.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’ve still been quarantining for the most part. I’ve seen a few friends but I’m keeping my circle small and not risking a thing because I know [and no one else seems to] that there is still a pandemic going on.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I visited my friends in Ohio for my friend Grace’s 21st birthday. We went back to my college town and kept to ourselves, spending much of our time in our hotel rooms, playing cards, and just enjoying everyone’s company. It was great to see them all but that drive wasn’t fun.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that my family and I spent a week in northern Wisconsin at my cousin’s home. Every year we used to go to Kentucky for a week of fishing, swimming, card playing, sun burning, and just to spend time with each other. Because of COVID, we had to adjust and spent the week at my cousin’s home. We got to celebrate the graduation of my sister from high school, me and my cousin from college, and my cousin’s husband from his surgical residency! It was tons of fun to get some sun, read, check out a new little town, and get in some much-needed baby and dog time!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’ve been consistently working out and eating right pretty much all summer. I’m feeling really great and this little bit of consistency in my life has made these uncertainties of quarantine and COVID a little easier. I also recently downloaded Nike Run Club and I’m going to try and get into running! If any of you runners have any tips for beginners, please let me know!

What has happened during your summer?

Much love

❤ Alicia

Why understanding personality types is so important

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Myer Briggs, Enneagram, Love languages… you name it, these personality indicators have boomed all over social media. Recently, I’ve taken a closer look into my enneagram type, my Myer Briggs personality type, as well as what my love languages are and I’ve really found out a lot about myself.  I’ve also learned so much about my friends. By knowing their types, I can learn more about what kinds of friends they are and how to be a better friend based on their personality. Even just dipping a toe into the world of personality tests can make a world of change not only in your life but the lives of those around you as well.

Myer Briggs

The most popular of the personality tests, the Myer Briggs test has been around for years. I took it for the first time in high school for a class that required a lot of group work. We were paired together with people with compatible personality types. There are 16 different personality types. Once you take a test to find out what your type is, you’ll be shown pages of information about your type such as strengths, weaknesses, how they are in relationships [romantic and platonic], how they’ll be as parents, what careers they’d be good in, celebrities that have the same personality type as you, and more! Personally, I am an INTJ-T. A career that would be fitting for me is a writer [fitting] and Michelle Obama is also an INTJ. The Myer Briggs test is so beneficial for groups because there is a lot of information you can learn about others’ personalities which is always useful when working with new people.

Love Language

To me, a person’s love language is SO important. What is a love language you may be wondering? It’s how people like to be shown love, whether platonically or romantically. There are 5 types: Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Quality Time, and Receiving Gifts. By heading to the Love Languages website and taking a quick quiz you can find out what your love language is [or are if you have multiple]. My love languages are Words of Affirmation and Acts of Service. To me, there is nothing like getting told “I’m proud of you, you’re doing great” or having someone do a chore I didn’t want to do. Do either of these things and you’ll have my heart forever. I scored the lowest in physical touch, so please, please never give me a pat on the back. Consensual hugs are the only thing I’ll do haha. By knowing your love language as well as the love language of your friends // significant others you can really show how much you love them by loving them through their love language whether that be by spending an afternoon with them, buying them a coffee, etc. It’s always nice to feel loved.

Enneagram

The enneagram has become quite popular as of late and artists all over Instagram [my two faves are Cathartic Word and Chalk and Leaves] are using the nine different enneagrams as inspiration for graphic art which tons of people [me and ALL my friends included] are loving. There are nine different Enneagram types, as I mentioned, and while you have to pay for the ~official~ quiz, there are tons of other quizzes online that you can do for free with just a simple “enneagram test free” google search. I did quite a few of them and ended up finding out I’m a type 3 enneagram. Threes are known for being charming, ambitious, driven, but can also be concerned about the image they portray to others. This is me to a T. Within your Enneagram type, you can also have ‘wings.’ Wings are defined as an Enneagram on either side of your type [since my type is a three, my wings could be either a two or a four] that you lean towards more. I happen to be a 3w4; an Enneagram type three with a four-wing. I’ve noticed a lot of my friends are type 2s, aka the helper. I’ve learned so much about myself based off of my enneagram from why I feel so defeated after trying something once and not being great at it to how I can help cope with stress and anxiety in ways that will be good for MY personality type, not just for the general public. This is also a great one to learn about with a partner or with colleagues because you can learn how each type works, deals with stress, things they love, etc. And honestly, I LOVE just learning about Type Threes. Who knew a website knew more about me than I knew about me?

What is your favorite personality quiz?

❤ Alicia

Mahalo Purse Review

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Alicia here with another review of something quarantine + Instagram made me buy!

Ever since my purse got stolen last summer in Spain [RIP to the Goodwill crossbody bag… you were a real one] I have been on the lookout for a purse as good as that one. It was big enough to fit a large water bottle for long days of walking as well as everything else I needed and I haven’t’ been able to find anything quite like it. While I still haven’t been able to find the perfect purse, I’ve come across a few bags in the past year that I’ve added to my collection that get the job done as they should. I have a couple larger bags [my teacher bag that can fit my whole life into it, a pretty big brown shoulder bag, a smaller grey cross body bag, etc.] but I have never had a small purse before. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized there are some times when you really just need a small bag. Going out with friends, grocery shopping, etc. all really don’t require a large bag but that’s really all I have.

While scrolling through my Instagram saves [one titled ‘Things to Buy] folders and eliminating ones I don’t need anymore, I came across an ad I had saved for Mahalo cases… Mahalo Casessell phone cases and wallet duos. Ok, a matching wallet and phone case… who cares? The phone cases are magnetic and attach on the inside of the wallet. You can’t lose your phone when it’s literally attached to the purse you’re wearing. The best part about it? The chain from the purse can be removed and replaced with a wristlet strap for when you don’t want to carry a whole purse. Or, if you want it to double as your wallet in your super big purse which I’ll definitely be doing whilst teaching.

I bought the RFID blocking quilted crossbody wallet phone case in black. It’s the perfect size for a purse or as a large wallet. There are two sides both with ample card slots as well as a spot for change and cash not to forget the spot in the back of the case where the phone attaches. The wallet itself is very well made and I can fit almost everything I need in there even though it is quite small. I’m very glad about the purchase and think the whole idea is genius because I’ll have the perfect spot for my phone in my purse and won’t lose it.

As far as the phone case goes, it’s a pretty basic black phone case. I definitely don’t think it’s the cutest case however if I only use it when I use the wallet I don’t have a problem with it. I love the wallet design because I don’t like big patterned accessories, however, when I get a new phone I’ll probs get a new phone case that’s prettier than this one. I would love it if you could mix and match purses and cases!!

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Overall, I can’t wait to actually get to using the purse and wallet duo when the country opens back up. Until then, I’ll keep walking around my room with it. J

Much love,

Alicia

23 things I’ve learned in 23 years

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Happy Friday! It’s June 12th which means it’s my 23rd birthday! This has been by far the craziest year of my life and there were a few times I didn’t know if I’d make it through. Despite all this, I’ve learned the most in these past 365 days and I wanted to share that with everyone.

  1. Go with the flow – If this year has taught me anything, it’s that I have to go with the flow. From my purse getting stolen in Spain to the coronavirus canceling my Greece trip to not having graduation, and everything in between, just take a deep breath, let it all out, and move on. Obviously, you can be angry that not everything works out, but it’s a part of life. Everything will work out in the end.
  2. Ditching people based on their pollical views is totally fine – Black Lives Matter has been prevalent for years [however, now a lot more people are using their voice either for or against the movement], and either you believe that Black Lives Matter or you’re racist. There’s no neutral, no grey area, etc. I’m not friends with people that don’t believe in basic human rights. Not sorry.
  3. Friends that can’t communicate aren’t friends you want – I’ve had my own troubles with communicating in the past but I’m too grown to have to question if someone wants to be your friend if someone is mad at you etc. If you can’t be real with a friend why are you even friends?
  4. Splurge on things you love – Not everyday of course, but it’s okay to treat yourself to things you love every once in a while
  5. Getting into a routine is the best thing you can do or yourself – Because of quarantine, I was in a rut. I forced myself to get into a healthy routine and it’s been the best thing I ever could have done for myself. I feel better and more accomplished with what I get done in a day.
  6. Absorb everything – There are so many opinions, sides of stories, etc. out there. Absorb as much as you can and figure out your opinion that way. Don’t read or watch one thing and think you know everything. It doesn’t work that way.
  7. Live life with no regrets
  8. Be yourself – Do what you want, make decisions based on what you want not others and watch how your life changes
  9. Try new things – Try baking, give drawing a go. Even if you aren’t inherently good at something doesn’t mean you won’t find something you like in the process.
  10. You have to learn to love yourself – This is something I’m still working on but it’s the best journey I’ve ever been on.
  11. Travel – I’ve learned more from traveling than I ever have in a classroom.
  12. Crying in public is okay – Reference #1. I’ve cried on a train from Madrid to Toledo, I’ve cried in bars in Athens, and the Thessaloniki airport. It’s okay. No one cares.
  13. There’s a lot of hate in this world
  14. There’s a lot of love in this world too
  15. I deserve to live – there’s nothing like living out your dreams, graduating college, and getting ready to live out more dreams that really get you to know your worth
  16. I’m stronger than I know
  17. Losing a pet can be harder than losing a person – My gecko got murdered [rip] by my roommate’s gecko while I was in Greece and I was devastated
  18. Everyone needs to know how to cook
  19. I’m okay on my own – Living alone and being single [haha] isn’t always so fun. However, I’m fully capable of doing both
  20. I have no idea what my future holds – there are so many options and I’d be happy with any of them, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see
  21. I want to do everything
  22. I learn more from my students than they learn from me – All of my time in Greece taught me just how much I have to learn and how much they can teach me
  23. I have so much to learn

Have a happy Friday and a great weekend!

So so so so much love,

Alicia ❤

Coconut Bowl Review

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Disclosure: some of  the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you,
I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Hi all, I hope social distancing is going well for everyone! During this whole crazy time, I’ve been doing a bit of online shopping, like many others. Instagram ads really are getting the best of me [three of my recent purchases have been because of an Instagram ad haha] and I wanted to share some of my thoughts on what I’ve been buying because reviews are IMMENSELY important to me before making a purchase, especially to ensure that I’m not being scammed by random sites!

One of my most recent purchases has been a Coconut Bowl. Coconut bowls are handcrafted coconuts turned into bowls based out of Australia. Coconut everything has been all the rage [coconut candy, oil, milk, etc.] but the outside of the coconut often goes unnoticed and is discarded. Coconut Bowls offer a sustainable use for the shell of the coconut and have turned them into bowls and candles made completely of coconut. They also sell cookbooks, bamboo straws, reusable bags, and wooden silverware to eat from your bowl with.

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I honestly just wanted the cookbook, because I can always use a new recipe or two, but with how cute the bowl was, I had to get one to show off my creations in.

I ordered a set of one bowl + one spoon as well as the vegan cookbook. The bowl and spoon came within 2 days of ordering which I was pleasantly surprised by. My cookbook is a PDF because I prefer to view recipes from my device rather than have them out in a book.

The bowl was wrapped up, along with my spoon, accompanied by a thank you card saying to follow on social media and a discount on my next purchase. Everything came in one piece and the packaging was safe and secure!

The bowl is great as is the spoon. I use them both all the time although, I did hear a crack in my bowl after I put really hot food in it [I can’t see a crack so I’m not sure where it is]. The cookbook is phenomenal. There are all sorts of recipes [all that can go in a bowl] ranging from breakfasts to desserts and everything in between. My favorite so far is the sweet potato mac and cheese because it combines my favorite things in one I’ve been using the cookbook whenever I’m feeling something new and modifying when I need to go grocery shopping. If I lived on my own, I’d definitely go with their eco starter set [or 2 of them] because that comes with two bowls, two forks, two spoons, and two bamboo straws. However, since it was my first purchase, I wanted to make a small purchase in case I wasn’t a fan. If you choose to make a purchase, use code: Alicia-10 for 10% off your order!

Even if you don’t decide to purchase from Coconut Bowls, give them a follow on Instagram. Their whole feed makes you feel like you’re in Hawaii on a beach, not stuck in your house quarantining.

What are your favorite sustainable household items?

Alicia ❤

If we were having coffee

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Hi everyone.  I’m sat in a cute café in Thessaloniki overlooking the water with Mount Olympus as my view. It doesn’t get much better than this. In Greece, cafes aren’t used in the same way that they are in the US. In America, you sit down, grab a cup of coffee, and grind on any and all of the work you have for that day. In Greece, you hardly ever see someone alone with a laptop in a café. Cafes are for social gatherings after shopping, catching up with old friends, etc. So, despite the fact that I’m currently alone, I figured I would pretend I was having a chat with you all. So, grab a frappe [traditional Greek coffee], hot or iced, and let me tell you about my current life.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I’ve submitted my edTPA. The most daunting thing for an education student, the edTPA basically determines how fit you are to be a teacher. I still have to wait for my results of course, but having it completed is definitely a HUGE weight off my shoulders.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I’ve completed my application to teach in Spain next year. I’ve selected Madrid or Galicia as places where I would like to live. I’m waiting to hear back on this as well but, at least this is also completed.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I’m being sent home from Greece. Amidst the coronavirus, my school was closed for two weeks, followed by many emails from my university and they ended up canceling all study abroad trips for the semester. I have until next Friday to head home. I am absolutely devastated. I’m actually going to miss Greece. I was very hesitant about this country when I first arrived, but I’ve come to love and appreciate everything it has to offer. I’m also going to miss all my students dearly. I want to bring them all back to America with me but I can’t and I won’t even have the opportunity to say goodbye which absolutely breaks my heart.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I’m thinking about getting another tattoo. Getting tattoos in Europe is super cheap [and Greece is one of the cheapest countries to do anything in right now] and I really want to get something related to Peru, Spain, and Greece. I lived in all three of these countries during college and I think they’ve had quite an impact on me as a person. I’m not sure what I want or where, but I think that getting something to remember the fun times and things I’ve learned in each place is something I want to do. I’m thinking of having my sister draw a hand holding three flowers: a pink cantuta, a red carnation, and bears breech. These three flowers are the national flowers of the three countries that have really had a major impact on my college time.

What’s going on in your world recently?

❤ Alicia

My nighttime routine

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As smoothly as my mornings go, I try to keep my evenings the same. However, depending on my level of exhaustion at the end of the long school day, it makes a HUGE difference in how my evening will play out. Unlike my mornings, I don’t have set times for everything I do. Some nights I eat dinner at 4:30pm [yes I’m 85 years old] and other days I don’t eat until 8:00. It really depends on the day, what work I have, afterschool activities, etc.

Despite these time differences day to day, I do however try to do the exact same things every evening at some point no matter what time they get accomplished. For example, I get home from school and the first thing I do is hang my coat and put my bag in its place. I take my laptop out of my bag and I plug it in because most days I use at least 1/2 of the battery and I always need to come to school with it fully charged. I spend 30-45 minutes relaxing. I lay on my couch, sometimes have a little snack, watch Netflix, play on my phone, etc. Being gone for 9 hours really takes it out of you and I deserve a little time to myself just to do absolutely nothing of importance.

Every night I cook dinner, obviously [I wish I could do the same thing at home]. I aim to eat around 5:30 or 6:00 but as I said, it depends on the day. While I’m cooking, I check my planner to see what schoolwork I have to get done this evening and make a list of it or start the work while I eat.

After dinner, I do all my dishes from the day. I clean the coffee pot and get it ready for the next morning, my breakfast dishes, lunch box, dinner dishes, etc. It’s always nice to begin and end a day with a cupboard full of clean dishes and an empty sink.

Once my dishes are done I tidy up my apartment. Random shirts and pairs of shoes that I tried on that morning and didn’t want to wear are put back in their place and random tissues and pieces of plastic are thrown away.

After that, I have a nice-looking apartment that is ready for work. I sit either on my couch or at my table [or balcony when it’s not too cold]  and do whatever work I have to do. Some nights I have nothing and other nights I have a bit more. On nights that I have nothing, I get to enjoy a little more Netflix, take a walk outside, or progress on my edTPA. I love walking around my city because I always find something new [and remember some sort of food that I don’t have at home and need to pick up] to see or do and it’s nice to be able to call this city my home.

At 8:30 usually, I begin getting ready for bed. I brush my teeth, take my makeup off, do my skincare routine, some nights I do a face mask, etc. I put my clean dishes away, put pajamas on, and lay in bed. I watch a bit more TV, listen to music, read, write, etc. before ideally being asleep by 9:30 so that I’m ready to wake up the next morning.

With my morning routine as well as this one, my days go a lot more smoothly. Who would have thought it would have taken me 22 years to be able to come up with something as easy as this to get me through the days?

❤ Alicia

 

My morning routine

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I’ve been in Greece for 5 weeks now and the biggest thing I told myself I had to do was create a daily routine. I’m exhausted every morning before I drink my pot [yes…pot] of coffee so creating and maintaining a morning routine for my groggy half-awake self is of dire importance. I’ve got the hang of my routine and can get ready for school each day quicker and quicker and I wanted to share my routine with all of you struggling with your own routines.

5:30: My first alarm goes off. I set roughly four alarms each day [5:30, 5:40, 5:50, and 6:00] in hopes that I wake up to one of the first two and then lie awake until the 3rd one and on some days [Tuesdays and Thursdays for some reason I’m even more tired than usual] I lie in bed until 6:00.

The first thing I do after getting out of bed is turn on my coffee pot. I’ve started getting it ready the night before so that I just have to hit the power button in the morning.

Once I hear coffee dripping, I hop into the shower and get nice and warm. My apartment and Greece as a whole make no sense when it comes to temperature. I keep my apartment at 19.0 degrees [Celsius] when I sleep and 20.0 degrees when I’m awake and moving around. At night, this temperature is fine. However, in the morning, I am an icicle without warm pants, long sleeves, and socks. So, I run into that shower and enjoy a nice seven or so minutes of warmth before having to reenter the cold that is my apartment.

When I’m done showering I do my skincare routine, brush my hair, etc. so that it’s out of the way. I put clean sweatpants on [I don’t put my teaching clothes on until later in case I spill coffee and because I just want to be comfortable as I lounge around].

At around 6:30/6:40 I eat breakfast and enjoy my first cup of coffee. I turn the TV on to give me a bit of company and open the door to my balcony so I can see the sun begin rising.

7:00 Once I’ve finished breakfast as well as cup number two of coffee I prepare my lunch. My typical lunch consists of a banana, a sandwich, some crackers, and an extra piece of fruit // veggie that I eat during a break if I’m hungry. I also fill a water bottle and throw them both into my bag,

By the time 7:10 rolls around I’m usually done or almost done with my 3rd/4th cup of coffee so now it’s time to brush my teeth, put some makeup on [my eyebrows and a bit of concealer on days when my skin hates me], turn the TV off, double and triple-check that I have everything and then finally, I’m out the door and on my way to the bus stop by 7:20 to be picked up at 7:25.

What does you morning routine consist of?

❤ Alicia