Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Meditation & New Bicycle!

I forget where I found this resource, but since I did it's become one of my favorite apps on my phone. I've dabbled in meditation for a while, but never consistently and always as a sort of hodge-podge based on the various tips I've picked up. I do have this goal of one day meditating on the same level as Elizabeth Gilbert does in Eat, Pray, Love; I would love to be able to be caught up in peace or long chants for hours. I have no idea how I'll ever make that happen though, given how difficult it is to keep my mind clear for even 3 minutes some days. This app from Tools for Peace (TFP) is really helping me with that.

It's called Stop, Breathe & Think. It's not only very easy to use with a great interface, but it's easy to understand - nothing is over complicated.

There are 15 free guided meditations and a few available for purchase as bundles for as little as $0.99! Already purchased one because I was enjoying the other ones so much. Plus it benefits the people that at TFP that doing cool things as a non-profit!

PSA: As someone that has interned at a non-profit, they truly do rely on donations. Definitely consider supporting your favorite non-profits at least once a year.  :c)

So remember how I said I bought a new bicycle? We have a name! You can now refer to my Trek Crockett 5 as Chihiro, named for the heroine of Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away.


Very excited for all the future adventures I have waiting for me with her, from padded shorts to going clipless - this year will be very exciting. Now if I could get rid of these damn allergies. Anyone else out there suffering from sinus issues? Cannot wait for these to go away. Ugh.

Also, seeing as I'm going into animation and all I seem to watch regularly these days is animation, I decided I should end these posts on what I've been watching recently. I've already blogged about how much I love some shows, such as Regular Show, but let me mention what I've been eating up recently:

Steven Universe. I honestly thought this show was going to be garbage when I first saw previews, then I watched a couple episodes at different times and suddenly got hooked. This isn't the first episode that really hooked me, but this part, oh man. When those two reunite. I just lost it. Absolutely beautiful. And on a kid's show? APPLAUD APPLAUD APPLAUD.

Archer. Again, why why why? Because H. Jon Benjamin. I love his voice and that somehow was enough to make me love all these weirdos in a misfit spy agency. Archer Vice was the best season. <3

Totally Spies. I only caught bits and pieces when it was on Cartoon Network, but when I saw the first season was on Netflix it turned into a nostalgia binge. Now I'm on watching the rest on YouTube. Thank you, YouTubers! 

Lastly, I read about Hey Arnold! which was one of the most underrated television shows that DESERVED A REAL MOVIE and this list almost made me cry. Seriously, kids cartoons are so much deeper than people realize. I can't wait to make things like this.