Oh my goodness, it's been way too long hasn't it?! What started out as a few times a week blog has slowly started declining. I lost my mojo! Though I'm frustrated with myself for that, I think it has also shown me that if I'm passionate about blogging, then it's going to take work. I have to decide what I want to write about before I sit down at the computer, I have to remember to take photos of projects or things that I want to share here, and I have to strive to be interesting enough that people will actually want to read what I have to chat about. I'm working on it.
It's 2014, pretty crazy right? I feel like this is the year that has been hyped up a lot, but don't ask my why I feel that way, I have no clue. Maybe because it's the year that I would be graduating college, if I wasn't taking a fifth year. Well, as tradition calls for, it's time for me to think of 'resolutions' and goals for the new year. I don't really like the term resolution and the stereotype that comes with new year resolutions. It's like 'this is what I do wrong and I need to stop' and I just feel like most ideas people come up with are slightly unrealistic or already come with the concept that since it's a new year resolution it's doomed to fail from the start. Maybe I'm mostly focusing on the 'go to the gym six days a week' goal that almost everyone makes. I'm more into the idea of bettering yourself. Then again I suppose that is what all resolutions are for right?
So for my new year goals. I haven't really thought that hard about many of them. The biggest one I think, is to get my asthma under control. Ever since I graduated high school and stopped being a three-season athlete, I've noticed how difficult it is for me to run even short distances without having trouble breathing or needing my inhaler. I want to run a 5k, my first one, this summer. It's on my bucket list, so it has to happen right? Some steps I'm taking toward this goal is working out more. Typical new year resolution, though I'm not going to push myself to go to the gym at 5 am three days a week or anything like that. I've started a 30-day squat challenge, next month will be fab-ab February, I'm taking a ballet class (for credit!!) that will also help with my cardio hopefully, and I plan on going to the gym once school starts again to bike or run.
One of my other goals is to get an internship or research opportunity having to do with fair trade, or community gardens, or something along those sorts. I'm very interested in these sorts of things, and I've been thinking about what I should do when I graduate, and these opportunities will help steer me in some sort of direction.
I want to eat better. Not necessarily less or cut out sugar or fat, but just better. Eat proteins with grains (that's a thing right?), snack less or snack smarter, things like that.
Another goal is to save money. I'm terrible at saving. I think it's partly because I've never exactly had a job that I make enough money to save. I mean I've made money that has lasted my through a semester of no work, but I want to work on putting money aside that will slowly build up into some sort of savings. Along those lines, I'm planning on getting a store or airline credit card, to build credit. We'll see how that goes.
And finally, BLOG! I really want to blog more, and do more creative things with the blog. A few people have told me that I'm a decent writer, and I think it would be really cool to write or blog for an environmental magazine or website, so any practice I can get in writing will help me if that's what I decide to do!
Those are really my only 'new year resolutions' at least from what I can remember, but I have other goals for the year, such as go to Kodiak for my niece's second birthday and visit Seattle along the way, travel to see friends more, and get outside more, but I wouldn't call those resolutions.
I think I've made reasonable goals that I will be able to keep and accomplish! That's really the point of it all right? Come up with goals that will better you as a person but that you will be able to accomplish. Otherwise, what's the point of even making them? Let me know if you have any goals for the new year and how you plan on accomplishing them! Happy 2014.
Naomi Odlin
Showing posts with label thoughts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thoughts. Show all posts
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Most Versatile Product Ever (In my Opinion)
Baking soda. That little box you have in your cupboard for making cakes and cookies should actually be let out more often and used in many more rooms than just the kitchen. It can be used to clean many products, deodorize, and do a multitude of other things, like make a volcano!
I'll list a few different uses that I have incorporated into my life, as well as a few that I haven't used yet but probably will very soon.
1. Toothpaste. It doesn't taste very good, but you could add some peppermint oil to it if it's really that big of a problem. It also helps whiten your teeth! I just wet my toothbrush and dip it into my container every once in a while when I get fed up with toothpaste.
2. Shampoo. Normal shampoos strip your hair of it's natural oils, and then conditioner puts them back (but they aren't natural of course), so instead I just use baking soda to get rid of excess oils and grim. Then I do an apple cider vinegar rinse in place of using conditioner. It makes your hair shiny and smooth, and it's not full of confusing chemicals you can't pronounce. Baking soda can also be used as a dry shampoo, if you're into that sort of thing.
3. Cleaning. Baking soda can cut through almost any dirt and grim, whether it's in the kitchen, bathroom, or outside. Soaking things, or just scrubbing using baking soda instead of soap can really cut down on elbow grease, and any harsh chemicals that you might normally use (which aren't usually save for ingestion if you're using them in the kitchen). It can also be used as a laundry detergent.
4. Deodorize. Whether it's your shoes, armpits, car, litter box, or fish filled cooler, baking soda will help eliminate odors! It has something to do absorbing the smells or something, but all I know is when I wear my boat shoes without socks they get very stinky, so I sprinkle some baking soda in them and place them on my window sill. They smell clean the next time I wear them!
5. Camping. Baking soda is a great thing to bring the next time you go camping, because it can be used for so many different things, but it also won't pollute the environment (usually you can only use biodegradable soaps and things, which can be pretty expensive). Use it to wash your hands, clean your dishes, brush your teeth, deodorize yourself and your cooler (don't want any bears to smell your food), put out your fire, and many other things.
6. Fruit and vegetable cleaner. You know how everyone tells you to wash your fruits and vegetables after you buy them so you get off all the harsh pesticides that they are sprayed with? Well just running them under the water for five seconds doesn't do the trick. Even if you buy organic or pesticide free food, it's still a good idea to clean them before eating, just because they could be dirty or other people could have handled them before you bought them. One way to clean your fruits and vegetables would be just to scrub them with warm water and baking soda! There are other methods when you can soak them in water and vinegar. which is suppose to also help them not go bad as quickly, but I haven't tried this method yet.
So there are six (really a lot more) different uses for baking soda! I have used almost all of these methods myself, and not only do they tend to work very well, they also can make you feel good about not using harsh chemicals around your house. Take that cleaning corporations! Also baking soda is so wicked cheap, one time I bought two normal sized boxes for a buck, that it's not even fair. So you might as well buy an extra box next time you go to the grocery store, even if it is just to open and put in your fridge so it smells nice (or your brother/son's bathroom).
Vinegar also has tons of uses as well, maybe some time down the road I'll do a post about that! Thanks for reading, enjoy the amazing summer-like weather we've been having.
Naomi Odlin
I'll list a few different uses that I have incorporated into my life, as well as a few that I haven't used yet but probably will very soon.
1. Toothpaste. It doesn't taste very good, but you could add some peppermint oil to it if it's really that big of a problem. It also helps whiten your teeth! I just wet my toothbrush and dip it into my container every once in a while when I get fed up with toothpaste.
2. Shampoo. Normal shampoos strip your hair of it's natural oils, and then conditioner puts them back (but they aren't natural of course), so instead I just use baking soda to get rid of excess oils and grim. Then I do an apple cider vinegar rinse in place of using conditioner. It makes your hair shiny and smooth, and it's not full of confusing chemicals you can't pronounce. Baking soda can also be used as a dry shampoo, if you're into that sort of thing.
3. Cleaning. Baking soda can cut through almost any dirt and grim, whether it's in the kitchen, bathroom, or outside. Soaking things, or just scrubbing using baking soda instead of soap can really cut down on elbow grease, and any harsh chemicals that you might normally use (which aren't usually save for ingestion if you're using them in the kitchen). It can also be used as a laundry detergent.
4. Deodorize. Whether it's your shoes, armpits, car, litter box, or fish filled cooler, baking soda will help eliminate odors! It has something to do absorbing the smells or something, but all I know is when I wear my boat shoes without socks they get very stinky, so I sprinkle some baking soda in them and place them on my window sill. They smell clean the next time I wear them!
5. Camping. Baking soda is a great thing to bring the next time you go camping, because it can be used for so many different things, but it also won't pollute the environment (usually you can only use biodegradable soaps and things, which can be pretty expensive). Use it to wash your hands, clean your dishes, brush your teeth, deodorize yourself and your cooler (don't want any bears to smell your food), put out your fire, and many other things.
6. Fruit and vegetable cleaner. You know how everyone tells you to wash your fruits and vegetables after you buy them so you get off all the harsh pesticides that they are sprayed with? Well just running them under the water for five seconds doesn't do the trick. Even if you buy organic or pesticide free food, it's still a good idea to clean them before eating, just because they could be dirty or other people could have handled them before you bought them. One way to clean your fruits and vegetables would be just to scrub them with warm water and baking soda! There are other methods when you can soak them in water and vinegar. which is suppose to also help them not go bad as quickly, but I haven't tried this method yet.
So there are six (really a lot more) different uses for baking soda! I have used almost all of these methods myself, and not only do they tend to work very well, they also can make you feel good about not using harsh chemicals around your house. Take that cleaning corporations! Also baking soda is so wicked cheap, one time I bought two normal sized boxes for a buck, that it's not even fair. So you might as well buy an extra box next time you go to the grocery store, even if it is just to open and put in your fridge so it smells nice (or your brother/son's bathroom).
Vinegar also has tons of uses as well, maybe some time down the road I'll do a post about that! Thanks for reading, enjoy the amazing summer-like weather we've been having.
Naomi Odlin
Monday, August 26, 2013
Memories
On Thursday, my sister, Mireia, my mom, a friend, and I drove down to Connecticut because my sister was starting her freshman year of college on Friday. We stayed with some friends in Bridgeport Thursday night, then went up to New London where Mireia's college is located Friday morning to move her in. I used to go to school at the University of Bridgeport, freshman year and one semester of sophomore year, before transferring to the University of New Hampshire. It was an interesting experience at UB. I hadn't been back since I left almost two years ago, so it was so strange to be back on campus, so much had changed but at the same time so little had. The dining hall was redone and now looks beautiful, the bookstore moved to a new location, they moved the knight (mascot) from in the student center to the middle of campus for everyone to see. But many things were still the same, the library, the dorms, and some of the people! Since it as just freshmen orientation, I didn't get to see that many people that I went to school with, even the athletes were busy with practice so I couldn't say hi (I knew a bunch of them from being on the volleyball team myself).
Luckily, I do have quite a few friends that live in the Bridgeport area, who either grew up there or are already back in their apartments for the school year. I know a lot of them not from going to school in the area, but from growing up together in camps, life, and church. It was so lovely to be able to hang out with them and catch up and act silly together. That night, I hung out at Seaside Park with a bunch of friends, just jamming and chatting and chilling, which was great because that is one of the things I miss most about UB, it's right on the Long Island Sound, I could see the beach from my freshman year dorm window! One thing I don't miss is the fact that you can see barely any stars, but you can't have everything can you. Anyways, that night I stayed up all night and watched the sunrise, which was gorgeous I might add, and only regretted it a tiny bit the next day when I had to help my sister move into her school. Apparently I was only brought along to do all the heavy lifting, who knew microwaves weighed that much?!
Connecticut College, where Mireia is going, is right on the Thames River, very close to Rhode Island, and out the window of her triple, you can see the river, and it's such a great view, I'm jealous! Her roommates seem very nice, campus is very pretty, small but with lots of fields and nature, and her orientation sounds very cool, complete with community service around the town! I hope she likes school, it flies by, and makes some friendships that will last forever. She starts classes on Thursday, and though she hasn't declared a major yet, I'm sure she'll find her niche in school soon enough.
Visiting my old school, and bringing Mireia to her new school, and having all of my UNH friends moving back to school this weekend as well, has made me realize how much I'm going to miss and miss out on this semester, but it's a good thing that I'm taking time off. There are many things I plan (want) on doing during this time off, such as work, and work out, as well as take time to think about where I'm going with my life, and hopefully getting a little more direction and achievable goals for myself.
This was a long post with no pictures, I'm sorry about that! I promise that my next post will be a little more upbeat and fun. I hope everyone who is back at school will enjoy themselves! Have a great week.
Naomi Odlin
Luckily, I do have quite a few friends that live in the Bridgeport area, who either grew up there or are already back in their apartments for the school year. I know a lot of them not from going to school in the area, but from growing up together in camps, life, and church. It was so lovely to be able to hang out with them and catch up and act silly together. That night, I hung out at Seaside Park with a bunch of friends, just jamming and chatting and chilling, which was great because that is one of the things I miss most about UB, it's right on the Long Island Sound, I could see the beach from my freshman year dorm window! One thing I don't miss is the fact that you can see barely any stars, but you can't have everything can you. Anyways, that night I stayed up all night and watched the sunrise, which was gorgeous I might add, and only regretted it a tiny bit the next day when I had to help my sister move into her school. Apparently I was only brought along to do all the heavy lifting, who knew microwaves weighed that much?!
Connecticut College, where Mireia is going, is right on the Thames River, very close to Rhode Island, and out the window of her triple, you can see the river, and it's such a great view, I'm jealous! Her roommates seem very nice, campus is very pretty, small but with lots of fields and nature, and her orientation sounds very cool, complete with community service around the town! I hope she likes school, it flies by, and makes some friendships that will last forever. She starts classes on Thursday, and though she hasn't declared a major yet, I'm sure she'll find her niche in school soon enough.
Visiting my old school, and bringing Mireia to her new school, and having all of my UNH friends moving back to school this weekend as well, has made me realize how much I'm going to miss and miss out on this semester, but it's a good thing that I'm taking time off. There are many things I plan (want) on doing during this time off, such as work, and work out, as well as take time to think about where I'm going with my life, and hopefully getting a little more direction and achievable goals for myself.
This was a long post with no pictures, I'm sorry about that! I promise that my next post will be a little more upbeat and fun. I hope everyone who is back at school will enjoy themselves! Have a great week.
Naomi Odlin
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Hello internet!
This is the first post on my brand new blog, Submerged! I've been thinking for a long while that I should start a blog, partly because quite a few people have told me that I am a good writer and should consider it for a profession, though I don't really believe them since English was my worst subject in high school. Maybe I just didn't apply myself, whatever that means. One of the other reasons for this blog, is to just broaden my horizons, express my ideas, thoughts, and opinions better, and to just see where this thing could take me.
For now, I feel that Submerged isn't going to have a theme or a range of topics that I will write about, though that could very well change in the future. One thing that I am very much looking forward to is starting conversations and discussions with the people who will read, and hopefully comment on this blog, that means you! Whoever you are.
Please bare with me as I work out the kinks in this thing, it's been many years since I have works with HTML and blogging and whatnot. I hope that whatever I put down on this blog will entertain you, enlighten you, cause you to think, and all around just give you something to do during your coffee break.
Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Naomi Odlin
This is the first post on my brand new blog, Submerged! I've been thinking for a long while that I should start a blog, partly because quite a few people have told me that I am a good writer and should consider it for a profession, though I don't really believe them since English was my worst subject in high school. Maybe I just didn't apply myself, whatever that means. One of the other reasons for this blog, is to just broaden my horizons, express my ideas, thoughts, and opinions better, and to just see where this thing could take me.
For now, I feel that Submerged isn't going to have a theme or a range of topics that I will write about, though that could very well change in the future. One thing that I am very much looking forward to is starting conversations and discussions with the people who will read, and hopefully comment on this blog, that means you! Whoever you are.
Please bare with me as I work out the kinks in this thing, it's been many years since I have works with HTML and blogging and whatnot. I hope that whatever I put down on this blog will entertain you, enlighten you, cause you to think, and all around just give you something to do during your coffee break.
Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Naomi Odlin
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