Lifestyle – Page 19 – Living off Leesh

How to beat Seasonal Depression

Published on December 17, 2016December 17, 2016 by Alicia8 Comments

This is definitely a different sort of post. Not very festive, but still something I believe a lot of people may find beneficial. Let’s get to it

First off, you don’t. You will want to curl up under a blanket like a burrito for 5 days straight, sans a bra, sans a shower, with your door closed to the entire outer world.

You typically can’t get away with this during anytime of the year, let alone during the busiest time of the year. With trying to see all of your friends and family home for the holidays, buying last-minute gifts, and countless Christmas parties, there is no time to have a bad mental day… or 5.

Since you can’t technically ‘beat’ seasonal depression, here are a few ways to kickstart you from your funk and get you to see the people you love and do the things you love while you can.

Take a shower: Something I never want to do when I’m depressed is shower. If you strip yourself of your clothes, let the warm water cascade down your body, smelling the scent of your soap and shampoo, you can remember that you can in fact, feel things.
Think of all the good things the winter season brings: Hot chocolate, sledding, candy canes, snowball fights, and movie night-ins would not be as fun in June as they are right now.
Buy some fun winter clothes: Not only is retail therapy my favorite thing to do in order to boost my mood, but adding color to your everyday wardrobe is sure to brighten up your life and mood.
Workout: In the wise words of Elle Woods: “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t.”
Try something new: Dye your hair, paint your nails, get a piercing of a tattoo. Do something different with your life. This change will bring a new aspect to your life that not only you will love, but you’ll be sure to receive loads of compliments from friends and family.
Get outside: One reason we seem to get depressed in the winter is we lock ourselves up in our houses because of the cold. We never want to leave the house in fear of getting pneumonia. Just hopping out of the house for a few minutes everyday gets you some much-needed Vitamin D and the Sun shining down just makes everyone happy.
Journal: Writing down feelings is a good way to get them off your chest and out of your mind.
Get adequate nutrition: During the winter especially with all the holiday family dinners and friend brunches, we forget to get the proper nutrition. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water, eat your veggies and you will without a doubt be happier.
Add color to your life: Besides your colorful clothes, decorating your house with bright and cheery colors because when you see gray outside but bright colors everywhere else, your mood may boost.
Listen to cheery music: Upbeat music always gets my mood boosted. Whenever I can feel my depression coming on, I listen to a pump up playlist to beat that feeling.

Never forget that you have people who love and care about you and that they will be devastated if you miss out on seeing them while you are home.

Alicia

Go to your local Christmas Market

Published on December 16, 2016December 16, 2016 by Alicia3 Comments

Hi everyone, this past Saturday, I had the opportunity to go to my local Christmas market. In Chicago, we welcome our German heritage and endure blistering winds and scorching deserts… pardon my Shrek reference. Anyway, we endure the cold and drive the 15 minutes to the Christkindlmarket to drink hot wine, buy German candy, and look at overpriced, handcrafted ornaments.

Typically, going to the Christkindlmarket is a huge event, beginning with breakfast for 15 at Heaven on 7th, followed by a half an hour bathroom break, and finally making our way to the market.

This year, however, there was a scheduling conflict, resulting with solely my mother and I attending. Due to this, we were able to have brunch at a phenomenal vegetarian diner. I had the most amazing vegan milkshake, TOPPED WITH VEGAN WHIPPED CREAM. For food, I had scrambled tofu and potatoes, and vegan bacon, despite looking like a strip of fruit leather, tasted divine. I didn’t take a single picture of my food because it was in my mouth the second the plate touched the table. My mother, however, took a picture of me at the booth, awaiting our food, but the poor lighting and eyebags resulted in me looking like a baby naked mole rat fresh out of the womb, so I will not make you see that.

After our bomb vegan meal in that cozy Boystown diner, we made our way towards the Christkindlmarket market. Being a Saturday morning in Chicago, the place was packed. We crept through crowds of people, elbowing when necessary, finally making our way to the wine tent. My mother is a huge fan of the Gluewhein (hot German wine), I, however, think it tastes like trash in a cup. This year, they decided to serve an apple flavor, to which I assumed would taste better…. It didn’t. After getting our wine and me taking a few sips to make the $8 my mom paid for worth it (she drank the rest in the end) we got in line for the sweet castle.

We became close friends with the people in front of us and behind us in line mainly because we waited half an hour to get into said castle. Also, we were the hot spot for squeezing through to the other side of the line, to which we decided was because we looked the least menacing. By the time we finally reached the entry way of the sweet castle, a group of about 10 people decided to ignore the gargantuan line before them and stepped right into the castle. Once we all yelled “there’s a line for a reason, get in it” we were back on track for getting our sweets.

I was able to find a small assortment, when I say small I mean small, or vegan treats, but still some nonetheless. By the time we were done in the sweet castle, we were completely finished with lines for the day. My mom and I decided to do a bit of holiday sightseeing, meaning seeing the Macy’s windows, Millenium park, and things of that nature, before finally returning home to indulge on our sweet treats.

Until tomorrow

Alicia

This or That: Christmas Edition

Published on December 15, 2016December 8, 2016 by Alicia4 Comments

Hi everyone, I was on Buzzfeed the other day and saw a question “Would you rather only eat fruitcake for the rest of your life or drink eggnog for the rest of your life.” I naturally would rather cut my own foot off before doing either of those. That got me to thinking if there were other difficult Christmas this or thats. I have never seen anyone do a post of them so far and decided I would (not that any of my other Blogmas ideas are original… You can only see “I want every Lush product in the world” so many times) If any of you want to do this, as a post or just leaving your answers in the comments I would love to see how we differ.

Santa Claus or Mrs. Claus

Naughty List or Nice List

Gift Bags or Wrapping Paper

Sugar Cookies or Gingerbread Cookies

Eggnog or Hot Chocolate

A White Christmas or A Green Christmas

Christmas Carols or Christmas Movies

Real Christmas Tree or Synthetic Christmas Tree

Snow Man or Snow Angel

Frosty the Snowman or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Angel Tree Topper or Star Tree Topper

Giving or Receiving

Elf or Home Alone

The Nutcracker or A Christmas Carol

Those are mine, what are yours?

Alicia

Christmas Lights Rant

Published on December 14, 2016December 13, 2016 by Alicia2 Comments

Hi everyone, since being the design editor and EIC of my high school yearbook for three years, I know a wee bit about design. I scan through magazines, catalogs, houses, anything I can, and mindlessly critique things based on every design rule I have ever learned. Christmas lights are no exception to my critiquing. To each his own, obviously, however, some people fail to follow very simple Christmas decorating rules that I (and almost everyone else I associate myself with) seem to know. It’s almost an untold Christmas Lights rulebook, and those who break those rules are subject to my wrath, and probably any other passer-Byers as well.

The rules go as follows:

No mixing of colored lights and white lights.
No mixing of new white lights and old white lights: While they are both advertised as white, we all know they should be sold as “Yellow snow” and “blue purple white”… we know
Keep in lowkey with the flashing lights, we don’t want any seizures: The twinkling icicles are okay, but when your neighbor has like strobe Christmas lights, it makes me want to cut their circuit breaker.
Don’t overkill with the blow-ups: They look dead and sad during the day and if you have 5 different Santas, it’s a bit much.
i will not enter your house if it resembles this
Keep the bulbs the same(ish) size: Having teeny bulbs mixed with baseball sized bulbs looks obnoxious and just doesn’t flow.
Do not mix Jesus Christmas with Hallmark Christmas: Having a nativity scene next to Rudolph…? Why? Usually the people who make this mistake are the ones whose profile pictures are a picture of Jesus surrounded by Cursive lettering saying “Remember the reason for the season.” Pick one. Jesus or Santa, not both,
note lifesize santa on porch
If you for some reason must use old and new lights or white and colored. DO NOT….I repeat DO NOT switch lines on the middle of a bush, tree, etc.: Ugh, not many people mess up this much, but I saw one house near me that did it and I almost vomited.
Take your decoration down by January 15th: I don’t care if it’s blizzarding outside or -30 degrees, take them down. Winter decor is fine, but when you have Santa and his sleigh outside your house on Easter, people will either think you’re very lazy, or very prompt.

Obviously everyone can do their own thing, but from a design aspect and an aesthetic standpoint, if you do these, you are horrible. Make your lights and decorations flow and keep the palette pleasing. Until tomorrow

Alicia

I know a Meme

Published on December 13, 2016May 27, 2018 by Alicia4 Comments

Hello everyone, another not blogmas post here. Last week, this girl I know, Jillian, posted a video of another guy I know, Jalen, in Zoology class gazing at reptiles. When you post dumb videos on twitter, you hope for a retweet or two, a few favorites and for someone to reply with the cry laughing emoji. What you don’t think will happen is getting over 150,000 retweets, having almost 10 million views on Facebook, being featured on Good Morning America, or getting followed by the one and only Steph Curry. That is what happened to Jalen and that video.

It’s so crazy to me because people I know from San Diego are sharing that video and people all over the world are sharing the video, making meme of Jalen’s face, etc. My high school used to be “the school by the zoo” but now it’s. “the school that Jalen goes to.”

if you haven’t seen the video, take a look below, and bask in all the glory that my high school has become.

Until tomorrow

Alicia

Things I hate about Winter

Published on December 13, 2016December 6, 2016 by Alicia7 Comments

Since yesterday I did a ‘Things I love about Winter’ post I figured I would also do some things I can’t stand about winter as well. Let’s get to it.

Snow: When it starts sticking to the road, or there’s two feet of it, snow is cute in theory but when shoveling or driving… it sucks.
Middle aged mothers Christmas Shopping: I was walking past a Walmart the other day and an ambulance carted away a middle-aged mother who WE ALL KNOW was fighting with another mother over a Tickle Me Elmo
People who forget how to drive: when it snows people seem to forget that we have to be careful on the roads and can’t drive recklessly. I have driven by so many accidents and technically winter hasn’t even started.
People who get offended when you say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”: Basically I hate white people.
Dry skin: I have dry skin as it is, but with winter and the lack of moisture in the ar, my skin becomes drier than ever.
Getting sick: I am literally sick all winter. Even when I’m not sick… I am.
Cold… cold… cold: Brrr
Wet hair freezes: I can’t leave the house with wet hair or my hair might break.
Football: I love football but every year as we near playoffs and the Super Bowl it reminds me just how terrible the Bears are.
It starts getting dark ridiculously early:

Until tomorrow

Alicia

Things I love about Winter

Published on December 12, 2016December 6, 2016 by Alicia5 Comments

Winter hasn’t officially begun, but with the cold temperatures and snow we have already had, I’d say it’s winter enough. Despite always being sick and having to shovel snow, winter is a pretty cool season, and I thought I’d give you some reasons why (I started out optimistic with 100 reasons but if there aren’t 100 reasons why I love my dog (there sure as hell aren’t 100 reasons for loving winter).

Snow: when it coats the trees and bushes, and the large flakes land softly on your hair, it’s so beautiful
Christmas: Being able to get together with family, friends and being able to catch up on anything and everything is such a good thing to do.
The clothes: I love boots and sweaters and scarves… basically any item worn when it’s cold out.
Peppermint: Candy canes and peppermint coffee, peppermint hot chocolate… I love my peppermint
Lights: houses all over are covered in white lights, colored lights, twinkling lights, and everything in between. Driving down streets with snow covered lights is like driving in a winter wonderland
Christmas music: Any Christmas is a jam and I will listen to all of them long after Christmas is over
Cozy pajamas: Cute and warm pajamas with penguins, snowmen, etc on them… What could be better?
The New Year: A fresh start, new goals, etc, is always nice.
Holiday scents: Vanilla, Peppermint, Cinnamon, and Gingerbread are some of my favorite scents year round but it’s only acceptable to have them around during winter
Baking: Spending the day surrounded by mixing bowls, spilled flour, and sprinkles is the perfect way to spend any winter afternoon.

Those are a few of my favorite things

Alicia

Ultimate Christmas Party Playlist

Published on December 11, 2016May 27, 2018 by Alicia2 Comments

Hi everyone. For those of you who don’t know this about me, I am a huge music fan. All types of music you can catch me listening to, and Christmas music is so exception. I figured I would put together my ultimate Christmas playlist for you and see if some of my favorites make your playlists too

That’s my playlist, what’s yours?

Alicia

3 Day Quote Christmas Challenge Day 3

Published on December 10, 2016December 3, 2016 by Alicia5 Comments

Day 3/3 for the Christmas quote challenge. I hope you all enjoyed these quotes and even if I don’t tag you/ you don’t decide to do this challenge at all, I would love if you left one (or more) of your favorite Christmas quotes in the comments as I am curious as to what everyone’s are. Onto the third and final quote

“My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?”— Bob Hope

We all need to take a look at this quote. The world is filled with so much hatred, 2016 has been especially hate-filled. When the holiday season rolls around, we seem to forget this hatred, for just a month, and we begin to love everyone.

We then make New Year’s Resolutions about being better people and within the month we are back to our hateful ways.

This quote makes me want the world to be filled with love year round. We don’t just have to love one another during the month of December, we have to love each other always.

That’s it for the three day quote challenge.

I tag…

Allie Bella Renxkyoko Jess Alana AnInspiredTeen Sarah Tabi

Until tomorrow

Alicia

3 Day Quote Christmas Challenge Day 2

Published on December 9, 2016December 9, 2016 by Alicia5 Comments

Hi everyone. I’m back for the Christmas Quote Challenge Day 2. I realized that with this challenge you usually tag people to do this as well, but since I didn’t tag anyone yesterday, I’ll tag a few people to do it tomorrow. Obviously you don’t have to be tagged to do it (I wasn’t) but just to spread the challenge around is why people are tagged. Onto the 2nd quote:

“Christmas is a tonic for our souls. It moves us to think of others rather than of ourselves. It directs our thoughts to giving”- B C Forbes

Something I feel everyone (myself included) does is spend their days thinking of themselves. While it is necessary to put yourself first, you need to stop and think about others. The holiday season is the perfect time to do so.

During the holiday season, people try to give back as much as possible because we see how much we have and how little those around us have as well. It is a time when we see how privileged we are to have a roof over our heads, food on our tables, and clothes on our backs. People near and far volunteer at soup kitchens, donate winter clothes, and donate any money they can.

I love this quote because it reminds me that not only I see the many ways people give back during the holidays, and if that doesn’t make you happy I don’t know what will.

Until tomorrow

Alicia

3 day Christmas Quote challenge Day 1

Published on December 8, 2016December 3, 2016 by Alicia8 Comments

Hi everyone, I have decided to do this 3 day Quote Challenge but with some of my favorite Christmas Quotes. I have always been a big quote fan, so why not share my favorites here on this blog? Let’s get started with day one.

“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day” – Andy Rooney

Since discovering this quote a couple weeks ago, I have been in love with it. It takes me back to when I was younger, waking up bright and early on Christmas morning. Since it was only about 5 o’clock and I wasn’t allowed to wake anyone else up until 9, I would peek into my stocking and eye up my gifts under the tree hoping to make out what a few of them were.

I would turn on the TV to watch Disney, Nickelodeon, or a Christmas movie until 9am came and I was able to wake up my family.

After jumping on my parents bed, awakening them from their slumber, and sprinting down the stairs, I soon was surrounded by wrapping paper, empty boxes, and of course, my presents.

As my sister and I opened gift after gift, my dad stopped trying to keep up with the wrapping paper being thrown his way and let the festively colored paper litter the floor around us.

The wrapping paper not only held gifts, but it held the happiness and thanks of my sister and I for receiving these amazing presents and it also held love and caring from Santa (my parents) for taking the time to buy us these amazing gifts.

Never forget, the mess of wrapping paper among the floor every Christmas is so much more than a mess.

Until tomorrow’s quote

Alicia

The Best Christmas present I’ve ever Received

Published on December 7, 2016December 3, 2016 by Alicia14 Comments

Since yesterday I posted about the worst Christmas gift I received, I figured I would counter back with the best Christmas gift I ever received. I have received so many amazing presents throughout the years so it was hard to pinpoint only one, but this gift was amazing and hilarious so let’s get started

Every year my aunt would tell me I was going to get an ugly Christmas sweater. I would sort of get excited because… let’s be honest, they’re pretty hilarious. Anyway, every year I would open presents and there would never be an ugly Christmas sweater in any box from her I had opened.

2 years ago, my aunt went around with the same ‘You’re getting an ugly Christmas sweater” and told me it was really bad; really, really bad. Naturally, since she had told me this for the past 6 or so years, I didn’t believe her and moved on.

Christmas Eve came and we were opening some presents after dinner, after passing out all of the presents, I took a seat in front of my gifts and began to open them. As I reached the red wrapped rectangle box from my aunt, I tore open the wrapping paper, opened the box and lo and behold was an ugly Christmas sweater, handmade by my aunt and uncle.

10801649_10205402077519181_3900460560394464709_n — shocked doesn’t begin to describe it

They spent like 4 hours making this ugly sweater adorned with bells, reindeer, googly eyes (conveniently placed on my boobs) and so much more for me to wear the next day. My aunt was so pleased with herself for finally getting me a sweater and it was super cool to finally have one and a handmade sweater at that.

10462376_10205402077359177_8489060918113943567_n — had to take some photos for my mom’s acebook of course

What was your favorite Christmas gift?

Alicia

Black Cat Blue Sea Award: Part Dos

Published on December 6, 2016December 6, 2016 by Alicia2 Comments

Hi everyone, yesterday I was nominated by Lia from Lost in a Story to do the Black Cat Clue Sea Award. I wasn’t going to do it, since I’ve done it and blogmas, but Lia gave me a bonus questions having to deal with my blog title so I figured I would go on and do the award anyway. Let’s get to it.

The Rules:

Anybody nominated can nominate eight other bloggers.
The nominee answers three questions posed by the nominator.
The questions you ask while nominating can be any three questions.
If any of the questions asked are offensive or the nominee simply does not want to answer, the nominee does not have to answer them to earn the award.

My answers to Lia’s Questions:

What are you most passionate about? I don’t really think there is one thing that shines about above the most, so nothing I guess
Have you ever considered stopping blogging? And why? I have taking blogging hiatuses in the past where I thought I’d never blog again, but I miss it. I miss the people, I miss the feedback, I miss writing. With blogging, it gives me an excuse to write, it makes me write, if you will. When I don’t have a blog, I don’t write as much, and that in itself is a reason to not stop blogging.
What is your favourite hobby? Probably writing
Bonus Questions: What does your blog name mean and how do you pronounce it? Okay, so my blog name is Live Pulchritudinously. Pulchritude is just a synonym for beautiful. So my blog name means Live Beautifully. Pulchritudinous is pronounced (pull-cri(like Chris but without the s)-tude-in-ous)

My Questions:

Why did you start blogging?
What is your favorite holiday?
What is/was your favorite part of school?

I’m not going to nominate anyone for this because most of the people I woul have nominated for this has either already won it or are doing blogmas and probably have no free blogging time. If you want to do this, please do as I am curious as to what the answers to te questions I asked are.

Until tomorrow’s Blogmas post

Alicia

The Worst Christmas Present I’ve ever Received

Published on December 6, 2016December 3, 2016 by Alicia5 Comments

Hi everyone, still going strong with Blogmas. Now, I don’t like to be rude and I accept all of my presents with the utmost appreciation and thanks. Anyone who spends the time to go out of their way and buy/make me a present is so amazing and I am truly thankful. However, there have been some gifts I have received where I was like ‘What in the world is this/ why am I receiving it?’

The most memorable example of this was last Christmas. Every year we go to my grandpa’s house the weekend before or after Christmas to exchange gifts with that side of the family but my dad’s borther and family are never in attendance, but their gifts are.

Typically we get a Target gift card and some candy and call it a day. Last year, however, instead of a neatly wrapped bag of candy with a giftcard attached to the ribbon, there was an abnormally heavy gift bag. I was so weirded out because it was so out of the ordinary.

I opened the bag, and there was a heaping bag of bird seed (it ended up being granola but it looked like a bag that I have purchased for my bird before) wrapped up in white tissue paper. My sister and I both got this bird seed granola mix thing and we were both confused as to why we got it and it tasted terrible and stale. Needless to say, that went straight to the garbage once we got home.

It wasn’t the worst thing we could’ve received but it did taste like garbage and who gifts granola?

Until tomorrow

Alicia

Christmas Favorites

Published on December 5, 2016December 3, 2016 by Alicia6 Comments

Hello again, I’m going to be making a Christmas Favorites filled with my all-time favorite Christmas movies, songs, and food and why they are my personal faves. Let’s Get started.

Movies:

1.How the Grinch Stole Christmas: By far my all-time favorite Christmas movie. Either version is phenomenal, but the more recent, un-animated version comes out on top. It is hilarious and I relate to the Grinch so much. Also, it is almost never on, so when it is, it is definitely a treat.

2. Home Alone: This movie is the sole thing that taught me that it’s okay to laugh at other people’s pain.

3. The Polar Express: Such a classic. My favorite part was when the conductor cut out words into each of the children’s tickets and I remember I bought a hole punch to recreate those ticket… without success I might add.

4.Fred Claus:This was one of the worst movies ever, it was good. I haven’t seen it in ages but Vince Vaughn and a British actress whose name I can’t remember did too. The only thing I really remember is that at the end of the movie Vince Vaughn is in that woman’s bedroom and she says ‘Wh-Why are you in my bedroom?” and the way she said bedroom my sister and I still laugh at it and I have absolutely no idea why.

5. Elf: Everyone knows this is one of the best Christmas movies and there really is no arguing.

Songs:

1.Mariah Carey’s All I want for Christmas is You: I can (and will) go hard to this song at any given point of the year. Watch me.

2. I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas: This is such a cute song and I loved it when I was little and still do.

3. Santa Claus is coming to town: I remember singing this song to myself when I was a youngster on Christmas Eve to try to get me to go to sleep. I was always afraid that if I didn’t fall asleep Santa wouldn’t come.

4. Last Christmas- I would always belt this song.. But I never gave anyone my heart so…

5. The 12 Days of Christmas: I can still recite this entire song word for word and I only have public schools to blame for that.

Food:

1.Turkey. HAHAHAHAHAA JUST KIDDING. Eat mashed potatoes not animals :’) But with all seriousness mashed potatoes (any potatoes) make any occasion a holiday.

2. Candy Canes: They scream Christmas

3. Hot chocolate: Not really food but nothing is better than making some hot chocolate and curling up in front of the TV to a night long movie marathon.

4. Chocolate Peanut Butter balls: My aunt makes these amazing chocolate covered peanut butter balls

6. Sugar cookies: Christmas would not be complete without decorating sugar cookies and getting more sprinkles on the ground than on the cookies

Those are some of my Christmas favorites, what are yours?

Alicia