Category: MUSINGS

57 Days of My Life, Lost to Facebook

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fleetingweb

Thank you Time Tech for bringing light into my life with your recent article, painting a nice picture of the time I’ve spent on Facebook.

In my defense, it’s 57 days since 2006 and I bet most of those hours can be allocated to college finals and procrastinating at the Syracuse University library. Not that it makes it any better, that’s still an average of one week a year, for the last eight years. I’m not gonna lie, that number made me want to jump from my seat and set sail in a new adventure to the unknown (or Central Park).

Here are 10 things I could have done instead of spending 57 days of my life on Facebook:

  1. Learn German, just because
  2. Take wine appreciation classes so I actually know what I’m ordering from the wine list
  3. Read that New York Times best selling book that everyone has been talking about and is not a YA novel
  4. Learn to make that delicious recipe that I saw on Pinterest when I decided to take a break from Facebook
  5. Train a baby dragon
  6. Bike from New York to Los Angeles (according to Google maps it takes 260 hours)
  7. Read the whole Game of Thrones book series
  8. Plant a tree. Actually, plant a bunch of trees
  9. Take a photography class instead of staring at pictures for hours
  10. Volunteer at an animal shelter (without stealing any puppies)

See how much time you’ve lost on Facebook here, then get on Grupon or Living Social and sign up for tango lessons or yoga, your pick.

Image credit – http://louisetaylordrawings.blogspot.com/2010/04/losing-time.html

Looking for Alaska

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I love reading things that move me. Wether it is an article that makes me angry, a poem that makes me smile or in this case, a book that makes me cry and smile at the same time. Looking for Alaska is not my first read from John Green, his book The Fault In Our Stars left me weeping a few months ago.

After finishing Looking for Alaska, I felt refreshed. Like if I had understood a little bit of what we all go through in life and how terrible things can happen but that doesn’t make life stop. There’s something refreshing about cold hard truths that can become positive thoughts, a sort of freedom from knowing life is not all sweet and perfect but that it’s ok.

Here are my amateur designs sharing my favorite quotes from the book.

LFA 6 LFA 5 LFA 1LFA 3LFA 4LFA 2

 

Being Sick Sucks.

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That’s really all I have to say. It makes you feel miserable in so many different levels that you end up pitying yourself and feeling crappy about it, over and over again.

What’s best? Being sick during what people have been calling the #PolarVortex aka freezing temperatures that bring tears to your eyes… and freezes them.

It’s like the world saw me all determined ready to tackle my new year’s resolutions and said: “Hold on buddy, you are not doing anything”. I’ve been to the doctor more times that I’ve been to the gym; I’ve been to the doctor once. Pretty skies and cool pictures to upload? I have a selfie showing me all wrapped up on my way to pick up my medicines, does that count? Try out new recipes and baking challenges? I microwaved some chicken noodle soup last week and my medicine tastes like a questionable piece of cake.

Needless to say 2014 has been awesome so far; don’t let me go all bitter on you right now. Nobody likes a hater; I’m just putting it out there to see if somebody can pick it up and take this plague away from me. Like far away, past Long Island.

Cheers to whatever you want to cheer to!

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Truth is we are all a little afraid, we are all a little reluctant, but we still raise a glass and cheer for a new year to come. Years are only human creation; it’s what we do during those years what truly makes a difference. We can hope and wish for new things to come our way during this New Year, but it’s really up to you to make things happen. Of course, favorable conditions are always preferred, but don’t let everything become an excuse.

So don’t go all crazy just because that 3 turned into a 4, let’s keep having a good time and striving to be better people. God knows I am far from my end result, but who said we can’t enjoy the ride?

Buckle up, or don’t, it’s really up to you.

cheers

Peace, Love & Diet Coke.*

Image Credit – http://bit.ly/1kZ8jXh

Things that I am tired of doing & other realistic musings on the new year…

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I have a love and hate relationship with new year resolutions. On one side I think it’s good to take the time to look back on what you wished you had done and look forward to try to accomplish whatever is next on your list. I love making lists and I actually enjoy sitting down and jotting down my resolutions. On the other hand, I hate when I sound all full of cliches and end up being redundant with rolling unaccomplished resolutions that stare at me with a dubious look.

So before I post any resolutions or end of year happy thoughts, I wanted to share what I’m tired of and wish to somehow change for the new year. Come on, I know you can relate to some of these, so let’s feel guilty together and make a change.

  1. Criticizing everyone who does stupid stuff online – Sure, they look ridiculous, but why pain myself with embarrassment? It’s none of my business. It only wastes my energy. Have a good laugh and move on.

  2. Making excuses for myself – This means hitting the gym and being realistic about it. I’m not going to go every day, that just can’t happen, but if I’m paying a monthly fee that does not mean it equals a monthly visit.

  3. Saying that I’m going to hang out with someone and never coming through – This is not entirely my fault, it’s tricky for everyone. I do want to be able to make more time for people I care about. I need to stop being a “let’s do something soon” slut and start committing to concrete dates.

  4. Complaining about money – This might not stop entirely, but I figure if I have a good plan under my sleeve I won’t feel as miserable every time I need to have tomato soup for dinner.

  5. Caring about people that don’t care about me – Take it as you will, but it’s tiring. I care a lot about people and go out of my way to help people out and make sure they are happy. I’m tired of not being appreciated or at times, even acknowledged. I want to surround myself with people that care about something else besides themselves. This goes for #3 as well, why bother trying to meet up with someone who does not want to meet up with you? Not worth it.

  6. My milk going bad before I am able to finish it – Or any other food for that matter. I’m wasting money and creating false hopes of a full and yummy fridge. I can work on this, I believe in myself.

I figure if each year I leave a little bit of the bad stuff behind, I can make some progress in a few years, right? Life’s too short to carry negative stuff around, it’s like carrying your heavy suitcase through NYC public transportation.

Cheers!

City Facades

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new-york-city-street-night-lights-wallpaper-2560x1600

Lost in an eternal daze, dazzled by the city lights,

Faces fly by, in this city governed by night

We claim pieces of concrete, unpolished fairy dust,

Seeking shelter on this land full of unbalanced trust

Entitlement corrupts free spirits, crushing dreams one by one

As the sun falls, our fears and walls become undone

A city of expectations, fueled by the purest form of irony

Nothing is required, but presumptions dampen any clarity

Walls guard secrets untold, keeping them safe in the clouds

Hands shaking, smiles rising, money flying, all because we’re too proud

The city of shine and sparkle, an eternal masquerade

Everyone’s invited, but not everyone can make it

You’ll need more than a mask, what are you willing to trade?

Even the shadows dance in here, will you join this masquerade?

– Cristina Nogueras ©

tumblr_mxrkvypFYZ1s7qitoo1_500

Image Credits:

http://www.freehdwall.com/2013/08/new-york-city-street-night-lights-hd.html

http://musicgivesasoultotheuniverse.tumblr.com/post/69909743789

 

Breaking Standards, Savoring Irony

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hands free

They say we are young and restless, but some days that’s not how we feel. We are lost in a sea of loans and bills, looking out at the stars with all their glimmering cheer. We dream of places far away, our thirst unquenched, our fears unlisted.

We want to go places but we know we can’t fly. We are tied to the puppeteer, but we always want to dance. Time is unknown, just something we’ve heard of.

We are easily inspired with a fleeting desire that gets lost in the city lights.

– Cristina Nogueras ©

city lights

 

Photo Credits:

http://enjoythefood.tumblr.com/post/69846548946

http://parisfog.tumblr.com/post/69743392968

On buying houses and other things I am not ready for…

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I keep saying I’m poor. I know this is an exaggeration, true poverty implies the absence of many things that I am truly blessed to have. That being clear, I need to coin a new phrase for my financial state.

Anyways, last night I was watching House Hunters for the first time. For those of you who do not know, House Hunters is a TV show from HGTV in which people are looking to buy houses, rent apartments or anything along those lines. Let me tell you, I know nothing about real estate.

I’ve been really lucky with finding my past three living arrangements (in New York City and in Hoboken). Well, lucky minus the fact that one of those places flooded. I’ve been happy with my first choices during the hunting process and I’ve been lucky to have everything approved when needed. I obviously rent my place. I am in no way ready or even capable of purchasing a home.

While watching House Hunters, instead of feeling inspired like my roommate did, I felt a wave of panic cursing through my body. How do people have thousands and thousands of dollars just laying around ready to be invested into a property? Oh yeah, I guess it’s called saving and making good life decisions. Well, I’m sorry that I’m too busy trying to pay off my student loans and trying to make it in New York City.

Conclusion, if I’m purchasing any property soon, it will be a plastic house for my future puppy… and even that is a far stretch.

On giving thanks… with a side of puppies.

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1288588995Source: http://www.loveitsomuch.com/

Giving thanks…

Remember? Thanksgiving? The whole reason you eat turkey?

I know, it’s hard to remember when all you see is Christmas lights and black Friday deals. I know Thanksgiving is supposed to be about giving thanks and all that. To be honest, for me it’s all about being with family and people you love. If you think about it, that’s a reason to be thankful, so there you have it. No matter how you wish to look at it, you have to be thankful during Thanksgiving, maybe it’s because you are off work or because you saved a ridiculous amount of money on something you did not even need to begin with, but you are thankful and you know it.

This will be my 7th Thanksgiving that I spend away from home without my family. Sounds tragic, but I’ve been blessed to be able to spend it with special people each and every year. Whether it has been with my friend attempting to cook a turkey in Boston freshman year of college, abroad in France with my amazing host family or even  last year with another friend roaming the streets of NYC looking for a place that was open for cheap  turkey feasting (cheap being the key word).

That’s what it’s all about, feeling that warmth from the people that you love and being able to say: “Woah, I’m lucky to have people that love me.” Distance sucks, but even in the distance I know I have SO many people that love me and care about me. Sure, I can be thankful for so many other things in my life, but I’m gonna let myself be cheesy and this year I’m going to be thankful for love in all of its forms. Whether it’s my mom’s morning text, a friend’s hug, a lover’s kiss or a puppy picture in my phone’s background.

However, just in case you still need some reasons to be thankful today, here are some Thanksgiving themed puppy pictures.

Cute-puppies-golden-thanksgivingSource: http://puppypicsonline.com/tag/thanksgiving-puppy/

thanksgiving-puppy1Source: http://puppypicsonline.com/tag/thanksgiving-puppy/

cute puppy leavesSource: http://seasonal-love.tumblr.com/post/10766392765

cutest puppies in leaves

Source: http://www.all-hd-wallpapers.com/wallpaper/animals/autumn-leaf-bed/254045thanksgiving-dogSource: http://www.vetconm.com/13-tips-to-keep-your-dog-safe-on-thanksgiving/

Sparks

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You don’t really know how it happened, you just know it did. At some point along the way, that little flickering flame took over and lighted up a fire. You saw the light and started feeling the warmth… you let it take over because, why not? You look back to try to understand, but you know you don’t need that because it just makes sense. It’s the kind of force that brings with it a feeling of contentment that can’t be easily equated. A light that has enough power to light a way into better days and with better days, more dreams are born. You feel refreshed in a way that only new chances can make you feel. The sweet realization that there is just so much more to come is enough to make you want to dance the day away…

Cristina Nogueras © – February 2013