TOMS Shoes

When I first heard of TOMS shoes I thought that it was a noble idea, but wasn't going anywhere and would be hard to implement. The idea behind TOMS is that they will donate one pair of shoes to a child in need for every one pair that is purchased. To my great surprise, TOMS has really taken off and made and impact. I see other kids everyday on campus wearing a pair, they are sold in many stores here in Dallas, and SMU even had the 1990's pop group Hanson back in the fall somewhat endorsing TOMS shoes. The shoes are actually really hip and stylish. They also come in a huge array of colors, designs, and materials. It is truly awesome to see how one person's vision has really turned into a successful reality. TOMS may not have a huge marketing/advertising team to launch the brand, but after pairing with other cultrual icons and having a great word of mouth, TOMS is doing great!

5 Minutes

Stopwatch set- five minutes....GO!!!

tired. stressed. Friday. sleep. read. bike. chocolate. brush teeth. commercial. grrr. lady downstairs is weird. dogs barking. Oliver. mom. home. fresh cut grass. brother. bad. terrible. dinner. Tei an. sashimi. soba noodles. wine. Penfold's. New Zealand. boating. sun. sunburn. banana boat. Jamaica. smoking. cancer. India. travel. plane trip. long. worn-out. physical. emotionally strong. nervous. internship. future plans. dress. shopping. care. car fixed. gas. reading about human trafficking. human rights. Rwanda. summer plans. questionable. safety. security. George Bush. meet on Monday. hooray. my "idol" is jealous. laugh. smile. lost the tv show. missed. taken. that poor girl. hahaha. grades. questionable. twenty seconds and this is hard. why. wondering. Taos. painting. photography. print photos 5:07:59...done!!


How's that for a creative exercise? Well, it actually was a little challenging, but a good refresher!

The Jesus Painter

I grew up going to church three times a week and was super involved in the youth group throughout middle school and for the majority of high school. I've always been shy and reserved about my faith and often found myself having different ideas about what it meant to be religious, faithful, and spiritual. i would go to youth camps, retreats, and on mission trips. As youth ministers would say: "I was on fire for God." Although today I am not exactly where I was when I was strong in my Christianity and have taken a few different paths than I would have thought, I still look back and remember how it was....to just sing out loud, read the bible, etc. Not that I miss anything, but I do feel that when people are spiritual and religious, their attitudes, minds, and demeanor is completely different. I know a lot of people believe that religion blocks creativity and exploration, but I do think that in some ways, if done in the right environment, it can foster creativity. When I was in 7th grade we went to Texarkana on a weekend retreat. On Saturday night as everyone came together and sang we sat and watched Mike Lewis, "The Jesus Painter." I remember sitting in my pew thinking how powerful it was. I think that the majority of times the greatness in creativity stems from the powerful emotional feeling that it creates. I think that the video is a wonderful thing to watch even for some one who does not beleieve in the Christian Jesus- just mute the video if needed.

Bike Riding

I have always loved riding my bike. Ever since I was a little girl I could ride around all day. I was the kid in middle school who rode her bike to and from school when the cool thing to do was ride the bus, and yes I was even that girl who rode her bike in high school! Something about the whole experience just makes me happy and full of life. Not only is it exercise, but to feel the wind in your hair and enjoy the sights around, aw.... just pure bliss! Now don't get me wrong, I am definitely no Lance Armstrong or triathlete, but I do love a good bike ride. So, that's exactly what I did....I put a brand new seat on the bike, strapped on my helmet, and rode. I live somewhat near white rock lake, so I headed in that direction. I biked the lake and returned home. Of course I was worn out, but oh boy I had a great time. I was totally alone, the weather was AWESOME, and I got to listen to some of my favorite tunes on my Ipod! What heaven! I wish I could do it more often. I would definitely live in a place where riding my bike was my only way of transportation or a more visible option. I truly do think that riding my bike not only brings out my inner-child screaming to escape, but it totally add to my "cool factor." :-)

Yoga

Recently I got a membership to a yoga studio here in Dallas. I absolutely love it! It is a way for me to spend 60 or 90 minutes totally alone and in my own little world- of course I'm not totally alone, but having people around me that I don't know or don't care to get to know, but all the same sweating right along with me, is not only an encouragement, but a motivator as well. I enjoy the 90 minute fire class the most. For 90 minutes I sweat, stretch, and feel the burn while I can push away all my stresses and concerns. It is a way for me to escape the real world. I leave my mind at the door and push all my obligations out for the time being. After doing yoga for about a month now, I can see a total difference in the way that I feel on a day to day basis and how my body responds to the world around me. I am learning how to respect and appreciate my body more and more. I look forward to the days when I have time to go to yoga class. I think that everyone should find an activity like yoga- I really feel people in general would not only be healthier, but happier! Check out the video and see if its for you....

Tough Call

So when do we decide at what point someone can't endorse a product because of their actions? Everyone does "bad" things, but isn't there a point in which we have to realize we are acting silly? I'm not trying to justify Phelps smoking pot in anyway and think he made a very poor decision by "getting caught," but aren't there millions of people out there who do a lot worse stuff? And don't hand fulls of celebrities that we allow to act on shows we love and sing to sold out concerts partake in much worse activities? Where do we draw the line?

What is real beauty?

I think that this commercial is GREAT! Too many times we all get caught up in having the best looking physical features and forget to examine what it truly "real beauty." It is really refreshing for Dove to put out something of this nature. It is funny/ironic how the majority of the time we see the most beautiful things and desire to have or be like them, but in reality it is nothing more than fake computer images.