Lifestyle – Rip Rinse Repeat

Journaling

Ever have one of those days? You know the ones. Where everything is going wrong, it’s the end of the world, and you spilled your coffee. A stranger just looks at you with a grimace and that’s it! Day ruined. Perhaps you’re lucky and these days come singularly, few and far between. Maybe you’re taxed with the burden these bad days carry for weeks at a time. Either way we’ve all been there. I used to exercise as my escape, but sometimes it didn’t solve the trick. The problem was, I wasn’t quite sure what about my bad day was bothering me at the time.

One fall day in 2017 I bought a black journal on a whim. I sat on the dock next to a pond and just listened. I felt the warm sun beat down on my fleece sweater. I smelt the fresh cut grass. I heard a goose I called Albert quack about on the earth across the pond. I dipped my toes in the water and really focused on the sensation the water created on my toes. How the water rippled across the entire pond showing I was there.

I like to take a few minutes to explore the present surroundings before I write about the past or the future. If you’re writing in an ugly place, say the red line metro on a dated subway car that most definitely has been peed in once before, well focus on how your body feels. Does it feel nice to sit down? Is your shirt soft against your skin? What noise do you hear? What are your senses experiencing right this second?

I’ve written in my black journal many times over. Both sober and leveled. I personally like to write clear and sober half of my entries, and the other half I follow the essence of Hemingway who once said “write drunk, edit sober.” Well, there certainly is merit in writing after a smoke session and reading the entry the next day. It’s liberating to free yourself from the weight of burdens you didn’t realize were draining your energy and happiness.

I suggested to my friend that he try to write and see if he could figure out the root cause of what was bothering him. He was feeling stressed and sad, but couldn’t tell what stressor was holding up his happiness. He also had no idea where to start.

Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling for your journaling to happiness: (disclaimer, I am not a psychologist. The aim of this entry is to help you discover yourself, learn what your present looks like, and find happiness your own way, the way I did. If you feel worried or sad and it is disrupting your day-to-day life, you should talk to a psychologist).

If you’re feeling a little blue, try writing about:

What you’re thankful for
What you did that day
- It could show you what’s upsetting if you find yourself harping on one moment of your day
What you think happiness would look like (this will change no doubt as time goes on, this isn’t a commitment, this is just an exploration)
If you know what is causing your unhappiness, but don’t know how to proceed, write it out.
- As simple as:
  - Who
  - What is the problem
  - What can you do, how can you use your agency
  - Where
  - Why do you feel this way
  - Why is this situation this way

If you’re already happy and just want to explore yourself more, I write about:

Am I achieving my goals?
- If yes, how’d I do it?
- If no, what can I change to steer myself back on track
One liners about people I’m thankful for and why I’m thankful for them
Where and why would you travel next?
A childhood memory that pops up, just write it down and explore
Sometimes I’ll write about a dream world I’ve made up. It helps me see where I am currently.

If you’re feeling lost, at any age,

though I know those in their early twenties-recent graduates- may feel especially lost, write down where you’d like to go with your life. It’s helpful to explore your options through words, manifest an intangible chaotic feeling in to readable words you can control and explore.

If you’re on the other end of the spectrum -retirement crowd- it’s helpful to reflect on achievements and people whose lives you’ve touched throughout the course of your decades on earth. Aging is beautiful, use your writing to celebrate.

We look in the mirror to see our physical changes. Whether you’ve been working hard at the gym or you’re simply an observer of how your body changes as time passes by, you look to a reflection of yourself to observe. Why not look to a journal to read the story of your life and see your internal/ mental/ spiritual/ behavioral changes?

What prompts do you use when journaling? Post your suggestions in the comments below.

Spring Cleaning

Now that Spring has sprung and we’ve made it to the dog days of summer, I’ve been thinking a lot about cleaning! Being the weirdo that I am, I clean when I’m stressed out, after hitting a sativa, and on Thursdays or Fridays so I can spend the weekend with a clean house (or at least die trying!)

Recently, I’ve been interested in ways to reduce the chemicals to which I’m exposed. I learned recently that cleaning product manufacturers are not required by law to list the chemicals they use in their ingredients. Some of these chemicals are toxic to humans, and you’d never even know they were in your own home. But no fear!

We have scoured blogs and other corners of the internet, and I spoke to my favorite wellness minded individuals. All to find ways to get your home just as clean as the harsh cleaning agents, minus all that bad stuff.

Today I present to you a curated list of cleaning tips and tricks to make your home squeaky clean.

Key Ingredients

Vinegar- for those who don’t know, vinegar is a great, natural way to clean just about anything and everything. I know I know, the smell is strong. But it’s acidic properties remove buildup, stains and kill bacteria. And the smell doesn’t last too long.

Vinegar on its own kills many bacteria, but not all.
Using vinegar after a combination clean with soap and water
- we love dawn dish soap and ivory soap- is the closest natural solution to cleaning as well, naturally, as your common household cleaner.

Lemon- the acidic properties of lemon paired with its naturally delicious scent make it a great natural cleaning agent. Perfect for removing soap scum and mildew on your tub.

Baking Soda- known to most for deodorizing refrigerator, baking soda can work wonders in your

Clean What, How?

Mirrors/ Windows/ Glass–

Mix 1 Tbs of vinegar for every ½ Gallon of water, – pour solution into a spray bottle and spritz
Wipe with a clean cloth to reveal shiny mirrors just as good as your chemical spray.

Toilets-

Mix one part baking soda to half part vinegar in a bowl
For scent you can add your favorite essential oil.
- I prefer lemon because of its uplifting effects.

Tile and Grout Cleaner–

Wipe vinegar on to floor
Sprinkle on baking soda
Use cleaning brush, sponge, or textured cloth to scrub tile and in between
Wipe remaining baking soda with water

Sinks and steel with water stains-

You can rub half of a lemon on your sink or whatever you’d like clean
Then follow up with a rag dipped in water.
- This works on light stains that you’ve regularly cleaned.

I had one tub that was beyond this trick, and I did use a store bought brand to clean it. I hear that cola works well as a cleaning agent followed with soapy water, but I have yet to try. So that’s some food for thought.

Other

Stains- A friend accidentally spilt red wine on my new couch. Instead of freaking out and ending our friendship, I just poured vinegar on a rag and dried that bad boy up. My couch looks as good as new, and it was that easy.

Spills- I like to use dawn dish soap and water on stains. If it’s safe enough for animals who’ve fallen victim to oil spills, then it’s good enough for my carpet.

And boy does it work. I had an ant problem to begin with. One night a friend spilt beer down my staircase and onto the second floor, I used dawn dish soap and water and voile! No more ants and no lingering odor of beer.

Do you have any natural cleaning suggestions for us to try? Perhaps we can add them to our list. Comment below!

For When You Need a Night With Your Girls.

(And you’re in to female gender performance)

two women s gray and red flut knit caps — Nicolas Postiglioni

Girl Gang

Girls, girls, girls. I smoked two blunts with two of my close girl friends yesterday. We watched Hulu, cooked zoodles (zoods!) and listened to music that my friend recorded. (Disclaimer, my friend’s roommate was there to ensure we didn’t burn the house down while we cooked and lit candles.)

You really could do these activities with any human who enjoys self care and culture, however I did the trial with my female identifying friends. And did we have a blast! It helps that these two friends have the gift of gab and bring me to the verge of wetting myself every time I see them. So, I’ve come to this conclusion: every ganja girl should try and have a femme Friday, at least once in their life. If you don’t know where to start, have no fear! Here are a list of things that you and your femmes can ef with any day of the week.

Go on a walk through a park

There’s something about a spiritual place when I’m on another level. Which is why we were planning on paying respect at our local cemetery. Parks are great for exploring nature in your own backyard. Have you ever skipped rocks while high? It’s soothing to watch the rocks dance across the water- or sink if you’re a newb! Have you noticed the way the grass feels on your bare feet? Or maybe you have a competitive crew and feel like racing each other while doing as absurd of a walk as possible (yeah, I admit it! I’ve been there). If you go to the right state park, you can find all sorts of nature. I enjoyed watching red tailed squirrels scurry across a bridge the last time my buddy and I went to our local State park.

Spa Day

I like having my nails done, but I hate doing them alone. And on an early twenty-something budget, going to the salon isn’t always an option. I think it’s the residual tomboy in me. Getting your girl gang together for some self care is a great way to get that biz done and enjoy the company of your pals. Please see my post on Spa Days for ideas on creating your own. I enjoy Tangie Dream for a spa day, it’s a sativa dominant hybrid perfect for uplifting your spirits enough to be silly, but relaxed enough to enjoy soaking your hands and feet in warm water and epsom salt.

two women standing beside wall at daytime

Funked-Up Photo Shoot

I had a photo-shoot with one of my femme friends, and it made for a more mindful experience of our surroundings. I looked at a park I’ve been to hundreds of times in a new light. I was certainly more aware of my body, and the landscape. I got the giggles half way through. The only downside to this would be red eye on whichever friend is the subject, but if you had eye drops, sunglasses, or aggressive lighting, Boom! Problem solved. Even if you just had your phone and wanted some artsy insta’s, it was a fun time picking out outfits and locations. I would recommend consuming the strain Liberty Haze for this activity.

Watch an empowering show together (and later discuss)

And then rewatch it sober! We watched Hulu’s Harlots together. Then discussed women’s sexuality in the 1700’s, now, and what we expect for the future. Insecure is a great one to explore the trials of being a twenty something. Insecure not only explores the trials of being a twenty something and establishing a career, but it offers a complex view into modern racial issues. Glow is another good one to discuss subtle sexist comments and explore how the characters find their own agency through women’s wrestling. I’m currently getting in to Atlanta, it’s interesting to watch the women of that show with gal pals.
Cook Together (with a sober supervisor around)

Safety first! I once lit a candle after a session and FORGOT, thank goodness I had a sober supervisor to ensure they blew out the candle. Just a quick PSA.

Cooking while leveled is an interesting experience, especially when smoking a strain known to give you the munchies. I cooked my zoodles, and that quickly turned into the three of us doubling over with laughter because zoods! My friend cooked chicken. Usually (read: sober), I don’t have the patience to sit in the kitchen and cook. I have a million other things to do, as I’m sure you do too. But when cooking is the main activity with your pals, well, I finally see why some enjoy the art of cooking. It was nice to be aware of the food I was eating, how it was prepared, and to be in control of how it tastes. I suggest enjoying Master Kush for cooking and consuming your munch.

If you don’t like cooking, try ordering in and creating a sort of at home potluck/ buffet!

Dig through your friend’s closet/ Clothing swap/ New Outfit Prep

I got the idea while helping my friend pick out an outfit for our lunch date at our town’s diner. We had a blast dreaming up new outfit combinations with the clothes she already had in her closet. It’s easy to let yourself get creative in a leveled mental state. I have recently discovered that I’m in to the monochromatic look. I suggested it for my friend, and we both discovered it really does depend upon the color. Making this discovery and laughing until we cried is an experience that I would recommend to everyone.

I want to get my friends together with a bag of clothes they’re sick of wearing and swap for a new wardrobe!

Tell us how you spend your girls night by posting a comment below!