I’ve been unusually inspired by the Olympics this year — as in, I want to be strong & badass like the modern day X-men we’re all watching on T.V. right now.  So, in an honest attempt to better my body, my mind, & my life, here is some real wisdom that I’ve gleaned from the seemingly-supernatural Olympians:

Food is fuel.  Eat raw foods as much as possible, such as carrots, spinach, apples.  Avoid processed foods and sugars.

Always workout.  Even if you don’t feel like it.  Create a routine and stick to it — that’s the only way to be in good shape.

Prevent injuries.  Workout to strengthen the weak things, not the strong things.  Ice afterwards.  Use a foam roller to smooth knots and relax muscles.  Take vitamin supplements and listen to your body.

Be strong mentally.  Think positive thoughts ONLY.  Never let a negative train of thought enter your brain, because it’s all downhill from there.  Visualize your goal and process.  Be in “your own zone” right  before the event.  Never watch (compare yourself to) other people.  Do not focus on the score.

Focus intensely on what you want.  Achieving excellence in something means that you’ll definitely miss out on different aspects of life.  Be committed to your goal, actively pursue the result, accept the loss of certain things, and never, ever, lose faith.  Sacrifice is just part of victory.  Decide right away how far you are willing to go in order to achieve your dream, and hold to it.

Expect some failure.  No one is perfect.  No one wins every single time.  No one practices without some amount of error.  Failure happens to the best of us.  No matter how faithfully you workout, no matter how well you performed in the past, no matter how positively you think, no matter how freakin’ amazing you are, bad things will happen! A bone will break.  A judge will be unfair.  An event will go poorly.  A competitor will beat you.  You must accept this.  You cannot pity yourself, spiral into depression, or admit defeat.  This is an opportunity to learn something.  To grow.  If you immediately cave in to the pressures of failure, you may never recover.  Instead, use the experience as an angry catalyst for your new regime.  Use it to light a fire to your improved performance — and don’t look back.  Don’t dwell on the negative event; look to the future with renewed motivation and purpose.  Be provoked.  Be determined.  Be inspired.  Be pissed.  Just don’t get weepy.­­­

Hope you are sufficiently inspired; I know I am!

L.  ­­­  

With my brother, Ben, at a lush nature reserve

I’ve neglected this blog pathetically for the last 2 months, & the only passable excuses I have are — rehearsals, performances, injury, competition, contract, physical therapy, & a new future.  Sorry! I fully intend to make a comeback now that my life is once more in quasi-sane, 4-hours-of-sleep order

As I shot this, Nabokov’s infamous words came to mind: “I was a daisy fresh girl, and look what you’ve done to me!”

What does this mean? It means that summer arrived without my permission, which also means that fresh air & daydreams are my new best friends! Beaches, bike rides, BBQs, books…what better time is there to indulge in life? Thus, here are some delightful things for you to explore during these days of sleep & sun:

1. Fireflies

This collection of firefly photos deserves some love.  If you happen to live near lightening bugs, what the hell are you waiting for?! Grab a jar right now & start catching! There’s nothing more magical than fireflies! (Just make sure you release all of them, though… otherwise the magic turns morbid.)

2. Ballet

May seem random, but ever since Black Swan, the intricate world of ballet is once again a matter of public fascination.  Check out this article by The New York Times, which offers a glimpse into the lives of dancers in the Paris Opera Ballet (absolute champs.)  Then go catch a showing of the documentary film, First Position, for another inside look of dancers & their art.  Let the inspiration begin!

3. Sunscreen

A recent report on UVA exposure will help motivate you in spending the extra 5 min. to put on sunscreen.  After years of rebellion, I’ve just now started wearing SPF lotion, & it feels good to be investing in my future skin! (The sunscreen pictured above is from Alba Botanica.)

4. New music

Give your ears something good.  Namely drop-dead-sick rock ‘n’ roll.

Change it up with something sleek & chill…”Little Talks” is perfect for winding down at the end of the day.

Have fun & Carpe that Diem!

L.

☼ The myth of 8-hour sleep.  To an insomniac like myself, this is quite fascinating.

☼ Letters of Note is super inspiring! The hours just fly by while perusing these epic old epistles.

☼ Test tube chandeliers?!! I think so.

Happy Wednesday!

L.

L.

Rhubarb & Red Berry Crumble  

Recipe by Mowielicious (I added a few vegan substitutes.) Makes 3-4 ramekins.

200g rhubarb

180g mixed red berries

3 tbsps unrefined sugar

1 tsp mixed spice

40g plain flour

50g buckwheat flour

60g jumbo oats

40g unrefined sugar

1 tsp vanilla paste

80g cold earth balance

Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Wash, peel and slice the rhubarb into small chunks. Place in a bowl and mix with the red berries, add the sugar and mixed spice. Mix well and distribute equally into the ramekins.

In a separate bowl, mix the flours with the oats, and sugar. Add the vanilla paste and earth balance. Mix well with your hands until crumbly.

Spread the crumble over the fruit mixture in the ramekins. Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the red fruit juices start to bubble under the crumble topping.

Serve piping hot topped with coconut “ice cream”.

L.

This website about white tigers reveals how many zoos practice inbreeding in order to produce white tigers.  What!  This needs to stop now!

Thousands of people gathered in Budapest to protest the war in Iraq.  What an inspirational-looking assembly!

Melissa Febos writes about crying in public, & does so in an intelligent, hilarious way.

I’ve admired The White Stripes for years, so this moment from “Under Great White Northern Lights” just impresses something profound into my heart.

Happy Friday, everyone!

L.

Valentine’s Day is over, but the chocolate still coats our teeth.  What happened yesterday that made you so happy? Well, if you’re in a good relationship, then it was probably your partner’s obligatory gesture.  Flowers.  Cards.  Candy.  Sex.  Whatever.  But did it last through the night? That’s the harder question to answer.

I believe that every person seeking love needs to start with themselves first.  Real love means loving yourself.  Taking the time & energy to boost your confidence, ripen your experience, & accept your reality is what attracts other people to you.  Have you ever noticed that the most interesting people don’t care what you think of them? They are deeply interested in their own lives, & as a result, so are you.

Living with intrinsic joy is like an invisible love magnet.  People cannot resist the allure of your positive identity – they see your inner peace & long to share in it.  And best of all, it quickly becomes contagious! So, this February 15, I urge all of you to strive towards a radical priority of self-acceptance.  By truly delighting in yourself, this life will become an adventure worth having.

L.

L.

A NYMPHET’S GUIDE TO WINTER WARMTH:

❄ Drink plenty of pink hot chocolate

❄ Sit by a roaring fire & brood with Mr. Rochester

❄ Wear a cool hat

❄ Watch an 80′s classic, The Blue Lagoon

❄ Snuggle with someone special!

L.

“The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, & hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new & different sun. If you want to get more out of life, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security & adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning & its incredible beauty.” -Into the Wild

I plan on backpacking through Europe sometime — it’ll be a unique opportunity to experience the world in a brighter, purer way.  But until then, Chris McCandless inspires me daily.

L.